Saturday, June 13, 2009

I am remiss....

in not blogging more often. It's been a somewhat busy week. Can't remember most of it though..ha ha. Yesterday was fun. Lynne came up and we went up to Pomfret to the Vanilla Bean for lunch..we both had their "famous chili"....we each got a bowl and wondered if that's what a bowl looks like, how small is the cup? The bowl looked more cup-sized to us. It was delish though and we splurged afterwards on dessert--I got the lemon drop cheese cake, very lemony, the way I love it.

Then we went down to the Dempsey Ctr. so I could drop off my money to Maureen for the retirement dinner later this month. I had some cash and Lynne loaned me the rest so I could get that chore ticked off my "to do" list.

We had time, so on the way home we hit the Ocean State Job Lot down the road from the house. What buys we got! Lynne had printed out the sale coupons and we took advantage of them, picking up a bunch of little items and then we hit the Chico and Bobby Chung (or some Asian name) clothing racks and really cleaned house! I got a bunch of fancy tops (Chico) for $8 apiece and a pair of capris for $10. I got three of the Bobby Chung (I know it's not Chung....but it's something like it) for $10 apiece. These are silk blend items...and they feel so nice. I have been needing fancy tops so I was very happy with my purchases. I have loads of "preppy" or "classic" style shirts, with the button down collars etc....I needed some different look tops. And the price was SO RIGHT! I wouldn't pay the prices Chicos would have wanted for them...but here they are in my closet now, real cheap!

I have been enjoying the entertainment the Sox have been providing for me this week. First the second sweep of the Yanks this year was so sweet....and then last night's extra innings win over the Phillies was lots of fun--it made it worth the fact that I stayed up beyond my bedtime to watch it.

Rocky has also been entertaining me this week. He is so funny, but does have a few maddening habits (as all Jack Russell's seem to have)....the biggest being that he scratches at the back door to go out...you let him out and he runs around in the yard for all of two minutes and then he's back at the door, scratching to get back in. The cycle gets repeated two minutes later. He has the attention span of a goldfish...which is about two seconds.

Sandy and I have been working with him on obedience and he already knows "sit" and "down". He's learning "wait" and "leave it." The latter is real important as he is curious about everything and will go after anything that falls on the floor, without regard to safety. So "leave it" and "drop" are going to be critical commands for him to learn. The other dogs know what to do and do it when we say those commands. He's also getting better at recall....coming when we call him.

I took Lily to the vet's on Wednesday I think it was...her diarrhea was so bad and she started vomiting again. They said she probably had stress-induced illness...and gave her medication and a mild food (Science Diet ID) to help her get back in balance. Voila! It worked....no more problems...it's so good to see her feeling better. I'll bet that having Sandy and the Russells gone last weekend got her upset and then having to ride in my new car for the first time didn't help. She doesn't like to go in my car....I don't know why...maybe it's too "open" and overwhelming for her. The windows in Sandy's car are tinted in the back, which makes it more "cave-like" and maybe feels safer for her.

Also the last time she rode in my car was when I took her with me when I went to the dentist. I was in the chair seeing the hygienist when they came in and asked if I had a black lab. She had jumped out the sun roof which I had left partially open. I had left her seatbelted into the back seat with her harness on tight. There was the harness, still tight, still attached to the seat belt. There was my dog, sitting with the receptionists out at the front desk. She had been found running wild in the parking lot--she went right up to someone who brought her into the building.

So, in hindsight, I can see how she might have gotten stressed by being in my car. But, for crying out loud I was right in front of her driving the car!

Sandy is away in VT this weekend with Truman and Bubbles at an agility trial. The last one of the summer until September. Lily and Rocky and Murph are home with me again. They don't seem to mind.

Tonight Jess and maybe Janet are coming over. Think we'll take Janet to the "NY Style" Pizza place on Rte 14. Jess has been wanting us to go there for a few years now. We had fun the last time we went. Then we are going to watch movies. She has never seen "Young Frankenstein" and "Saturday Night Fever"...so I was going to watch one or both with her. Don't you know, I go looking for them and can't find either one? So we might end up watching "Private Parts," Howard Sterns autobiography or "Strangers In Good Company" which is an "old chick flick" that I love. Or maybe "Babette's Feast" or "The Godfather"...she's never seen that either!

I am going to go back down in the cellar and see if I can find "YF" and "SNF"..those would be great "party" movies to watch tonight.

Tomorrow morning Carol and Joyce and Bill are coming for breakfast. I think I'll make an egg casserole like the one Jane Barrera made for us one year at a holiday brunch party she had at her place. I got a recipe but I'm going to add some extra stuff to it (mushrooms, sausage, etc). I think I will do that or maybe I'll just make omelets to order...I'll decide later.

Now I have channel 941 Light Classical on the tv....it's very soothing...and I have a little doggie with his head across my feet...time to take a little nap I'd say.

Nappy nap!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Pics from recent adventures




Lynne and her fav doctor
Saying goodbye to Jason, the best surgeon
a girl could have...if she ever needs a
surgeon.


Visiting with my mother's cousins:
L-R: Ruth Leavstrom, Me, Jerry Leavstrom
and Barbara Leavstrom Harkness, taken on 5/26/09





Pixie, Carol and Sandy fooling around on the deck
May 09

Monday, June 8, 2009

Back to work

Went back to work today....first "real" work since last November. It felt great! There were only three students and it only lasted 2.5 hours, perfect for getting "reacquainted" with the concept of a job. My next scheduled gig isn't until July 1, but maybe they'll come up with something else in the meantime.

Yesterday was a big day. Jess came at 9am and we left for Greenfield MA and the agility trial. Rocky had his first non-diarrhea BM just before we left, so I was surprised when we smelled a "bad smell" as we were driving into Enfield. We pulled over and to my shock I learned that Lily had thrown up in the back seat.....and when we got her out she promptly had wicked diarrhea. She NEVER poops in the house or car...so I felt so bad for her. I guess it was her turn to be sick, now that Rocky is over the shits. She had a few more bouts at the trial and she also threw up a few more times, including in Sandy's car on the way home.

The Connollys showed up right around noon time. Tim, Kate and Terry. I had not seen Terry in almost 10 years, although we have kept up with each other on the internet and on the phone. It was so good to see them and to get caught up. It was as if we had not been apart. Tim took some great pictures with his iPhone...and in the process made me make up my mind to buy me one of those...soon.

We shopped around at the vendors who were there for the trial, then they watched as Sandy and I had our picture taken, first the two of us with Lily and then the two of us with all four dogs. We had Barry Rosen, a professional photographer take the shots. He is fabulous. He makes a sound that makes all the dogs look right at him, without scaring them. In all of the other photos that we have of the dogs sitting with us, Lily is staring at the ground, Bubbles is trying to get away and Truman is snarling, showing his titanium crowns. These came out great.

Tim took some shots of the "girls" and he also got a shot of the family photo session. I'm going to post it on this blog.

Anyway, it was fun seeing our old neighbors, the Connollys and we made plans to hopefully get together again next month. They are having a big picnic at their place and I'm going to go up for it, even if Sandy can't make it.

Then, they had to leave and about an hour later, Martine showed up. I hadn't seen Martine in almost 40 years! I was thinking it was 20 years, but then Jessica gently broke the news to me that "sometime in the mid 70s" was about 40 years ago! OUCH!

Again, Martine and I just took up where we left off, all those years ago. She lives near Greenfield and works in the hospital in town. She came over after work, so she was in some snazzy looking work clothes. Martine, Jess and I said good bye to Sandy, got in Martine's car and went out for supper at the local 99 Restaurant--cup o' chowder and Ceasar salad. We had a good time chatting and joking. Then she took us back to my car....and Jess and I hit the road home.

I was very tired and didn't think I'd be able to drive all the way home, but I got energized and made it with no problem. Unfortunately, when I shut the lights out to go to bed, I couldn't sleep. I ended up getting out of bed at 12:30 and went downstairs. Had a little glass of milk and sat in Sandy's recliner---where I fell asleep. I woke up and it was 3:30....I put the foot of the recliner down and it made that bad "CLUNK" sound that it makes and that got the dogs howling, woke Sandy up and she and all the dogs came trailing down the stairs to see what the hell was going on. I am totally chagrined and apologetic, climbing back upstairs and into bed. Of course, once everyone was settled down--I lay there, couldn't sleep again!

So, some thoughts going through my head while I'm lying there:

As Dori and I discussed on Saturday...."do guys really think that having long grey bushy, straggly beards are good looking?" "Do guys ever look in the mirror?" "Why do some guys with skinny legs insist on wearing leotards?" No kidding, there was a guy who went kayaking Saturday, who had leotard-like pants on....he was an old guy too. Made me think of "Precious" as an old man.

Can't wait to see Kathy Griffin at the end of the month.

Sure hope my Relay for Life teammates are soliciting their family and friends for donations.

I'm going to have Maria come to Mohegan Sun on Father's day weekend, instead of me driving up to get her. I think that's the smart thing to do. I'll go to Putnam and get my Dad, we'll meet Marieps at Mohegan and we can go to dinner there. Maybe try that Michael Jordan Mexican place...or whatever.

I'm happy to be back to work.

I'm SO getting that new iPhone. Lynne and Tim have convinced me.

Nighty night