Blog Archives

Our dogs sleep in weird positions

 

     A loud thumping came from Gavin’s crate.  I wondered what he was doing so I peeked.  All I saw was a white butt and four white feet in the air.  Can you say relaxed?  He loves to sleep upside down in his crate.  He’s done it since he was a puppy.  I’d try to snap a picture but that never works.  As soon as I get close to the crate, he springs to life and his feet.

     In the meantime, Patty had sacked out on the couch with her head buried under a pillow.  I have no idea how she can breathe like that but she often sleeps that way.  Then there’s her butt on the pillow position, which cracks me up.  Look on the Bullpen page and you’ll find a picture.

     Our old female, Sadie used to sleep next to DH on his chair.  She’d sleep so soundly that when DH went to bed and shifted her onto the entire seat cushion she never noticed.

     Our old male, Malcolm was another one who regularly slept on his back with all four feet in the air.  They look like bloated road kill when they do that in the middle of the floor.

Fashion faux pas I live by

 

     And other ramblings of an overstrained brain…

     All the clocks and watches in this house are turned back an hour.  The batteries on the smoke alarms are new again.  Crap, this means winter isn’t far off.  I don’t like snow, ice, and cold.  I live with it because DH can’t stand a warmer climate and I hate southern summers.

     Yes, I am weird and far from fashionable.  I wear my flip-flops year round except in the snow when I change into winter boots to go outside.  For that reason, the other day, I did get a start on some warmer clothing for winter.  I bought some Tabis.  You can’t imagine my delight when I found a place that sells them.  I bought seven pair.  If you don’t know what Tabis are, they are Japanese socks that have the big toe separated from the other toes.  I wore them as a child.  The ones I wore had tiny brass clips that fit into threads on the back of the Tabis to close them.  The modern ones have no clips. 

     I have very happy feet now.  There are no sock bunches in between the toes, and my feet are warm enough.

     I love you and miss you terribly baby sister.  Happy birthday, Mary. 

Leaf leapers—another year gone by

 

     The yard is a sea of leaves and the trees still have more to drop.  It wouldn’t be so bad except now they are wet leaves.  As soon as they dry, it’s time for me to put on the work gloves and get raking.

     Patty and Gavin love the leaves.  I think the silly dogs are both dying for me to rake them into piles into which they can leap.  They’re worse than kids are about leaf piles.

     Each dog has its own style of leaf pile diving.  Patty loves to race up to the pile, leap high, and land in the center.  Gavin prefers the tank style of plowing through them.

     They both love it when I join in on the fun.  They hop about begging me to kick leaves up into the air for them to pounce on.  You’d never guess that Gavin had his tenth birthday on November 1 with all his energy.

     I find it hard to believe it was ten years ago that I picked up that little eight-week-old white puppy at the airport customs office.  He was a ball of energy then and hasn’t slowed since.

Friday bits and pieces

 

     G and I hit the lottery the other day…we made a whole two bucks.  Yippee?  That’s not exactly the red neck retirement fund now is it?  We had to add another dollar to it to buy more tickets.

     At least we got off two dollars cheaper this week.  Hey, we might not ever win big but we can dream can’t we?

     The MIL is in a nursing home again.  This time she’s not returning to her home.  There’s no way she can take care of herself any longer.

     Right now, we’re working with the breed rescue to place the MIL’s dog Lance into a good home.  It’s not going to be easy since he’s an elderly dog.  We even managed to contact Lance’s breeder and he is asking around.  We can’t take the little guy because Patty doesn’t like other dogs, especially small ones.  She only gets along with Gavin.

     I packed away all the Halloween props and paraphernalia until next year with the exception of our Zombie.  He is still on my kitchen table awaiting repairs.  I haven’t had time to work on him.

The phone number hop

 

     I find it strange how some people change their phone numbers as often as they change their under drawers because I’ve had the same phone number for thirty-seven years.

     I’ve asked a few people about this trend.  Some tell me they do it to stay one jump ahead of their creditors.  Others tell me they do it because they want to avoid people to which they’ve given their number.  I say why not pay the bills and not give your number to creepy people.

     I know several people who have changed their numbers so often that even family members can’t find them.  How dumb is that?

     I couldn’t imagine changing the home phone number and yes, it is still a landline.  I have enough problems trying to remember DH’s cell phone number and mine.  I still don’t have the numbers memorized.  I have to carry them around in my little address book.

     Is this CRS or do I have so much on my mind, there’s no room for extras?  I tend to think the latter.  You try writing five books at once.  Post Its™ are my best friends.

There’s a rubber room out there with my name on it

 

     DH’s mother is back in the hospital.  This is not good for him.  His stress level is through the roof.  I try to make certain that things at home run smoothly and do my best not to ask him for anything right now. 

     It isn’t easy since the pond is filling with leaves, even though I skim it every day.  I can’t put the netting to keep the leaves out on it alone.  Heck, there are so many leaves in the yard, it’ll take me at least a month to rake them all and there are still tons on our trees.  The kitchen lights need replacing—I hate climbing ladders. 

     There’s been another death in the family.  We won’t go there.

     My car’s inspection cost us a small fortune on Friday.  Patty is acting out of character and I’m wondering if we’re in for another vet run. 

     “Hello, is this the Peaceful Valley Funny Farm?  I was wondering if I could make a reservation.”

     “What sort of accommodations were you looking for?”

     “Do you have any spare rubber rooms?”

Zombie failure to launch

 

     This is the Zombie that was in the barrel.  This is the Zombie that after working very well before the Trick or Treaters came, suddenly failed to launch.  Did you ever try to fix a prop while wearing a long wig and gown?  DH couldn’t stand long enough to do it.  G’s husband B tried to fix it but soon gave up.

     They don’t give you schematics to show you how to ‘repair’ him.  They don’t tell you if there are any fuses or where they are.  ARRRGH! 

     I’m hoping with some help from a few Halloween enthusiasts we’ll have him popping out of the barrel for next year.  So there he is, on the kitchen table, waiting for a little bit of mechanical genious magic to get him working again.

Thank you for your patience

 

     We had HORDES of kids come Trick or Treating.  They arrived promptly at six and continued to inundate us until after eight.  I had no time to grab the camera and get pictures this year.

     However, I did get some pictures of the decorations during a lull.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get a good one of the Zombie in the barrel.  The best laid plans and all that.

     After the Trick or Treating finished, Little D’s birthday cake was a great hit and she had a good time.  Her mother enjoyed the unusual welcome into the neighborhood.

A teensy break for Halloween

 

     Thursday I will be cooking for the après Trick or Treat/Little D’s birthday party and carving pumpkins with G.  Yes, there will be wine.  Afterwards I intend to relax. 

     Friday is Trick or Treat night.  G and I will spend the afternoon decorating the porch.  From six to eight a horde of costumed kids will arrive for the handing out of the treats.  After eight, we party until (?) or DH has had enough of us, whichever comes first.

     There will be no posts for those days.  Since I usually post in the wee hours there might not be one for Saturday.

     I will most definitely be here on Sunday.  Come back then to see the decoration and party pictures!

Halloween facts and some updates

 

     Early Jack o lanterns were carved out of turnips.  I can’t imagine trying to do one of today’s ornate carvings on one of them instead of a pumpkin.  However, I sure there were some crafty artisans who did carve some remarkable turnips.  G and I have made a name for ourselves around here with ours but we can’t do them without a pattern. 

     Allentown, PA had the very first Halloween parade in the US back in 1915 (correction: the year was 1905)  followed by Tom’s River, NJ in 1919.  This year it will be held on November 2nd.  Somewhere out in TV land there’s a picture of our old Malcolm on one of the Halloween floats.  He always was a ham.

     Although it is 2:30 a.m., it’s a balmy seventy degrees outside with a misty rain.  Not bad for late October.

     I called G this evening to check and see how she was.  Her eye surgery went very well.  She sounded quite chipper.  She was also pleased to announce that she didn’t have a shiner this time.

     I overheard her husband in the background saying, “If she keeps complaining about not having a shiner I’ll be glad to oblige.”  Wiseass.

We will soon be handing out candy

 

     Trick or Treat night is on Friday here.  G and I are preparing for the après treating time party.  It’s not going to be easy for her this year since she’s going in for her second cataract surgery today.  However, she does plan to have a good time.

     She just had the other eye done several weeks ago and couldn’t be more pleased with the results.  She can see again!  She’s excited enough that she plans to dress in costume and party hearty.  She knows from the other surgery how fast she’ll recover.

     She has a mask to wear because the only (slight) problem she had with the first surgery, was the bruise under her eye, she had quite a shiner for a week.  Nevertheless, she still plans to bake and decorate a birthday cake for Little D.  I can’t wait to see Little D’s face when she sees her cake.  G is a very clever cake decorator.

     I will take pictures not only of Little D but also of many of our costumed revelers on Friday.  I’m glad I have a 2-gig card for the camera.

If wishes were horses

 

     Three weeks after I got married my parents, grandmother, and baby sister moved a great distance away.  It was a long time before any family moved back to the area. 

     No family members live here now.  When relatives travel, they never seem to get near our area.  Our location is sort of like Rhode Island; you only go there if that is your destination.

     I have traveled to my father’s old hometown to visit cousins and aunties but it’s difficult to do so as often as I’d like to when I have to do the eight-hour drive alone.  DH doesn’t travel well.  A long car ride is excruciatingly painful for him.  Consequently, as much as he loves visiting my family, he’d rather stay home with the dogs where he is more comfortable. 

     Therefore, to torture myself, I periodically browse the real estate listings in the old hometown.  I love to hit the bird’s eye view when looking at properties close to my family. 

     Tonight, I went browsing, and spied two houses that I loved.  One lovely home was across the road from a cousin’s house.  I hit the bird’s eye view and looked for my aunt’s house on the next road.  I could actually see my cousin’s horses out in the pasture.  [Sigh]  The idea of living near loving family brings out a case of the ‘I wishes’ in me.