So, yesterday I met up with Dustin after work. I got out at 12:30, so we went and had some lunch, then headed over to Lowe's to pick up a new, desperately needed lawnmower and weed-eater. We came home excited to get them put together and start on getting our lawn in shape.
Unfortunately, we came home to both dogs nowhere in sight. He had left them in the yard, like we always do. The house just gets too warm to leave them inside on sunny days. It's never been a problem. Until yesterday.
I'm not sure whether I am totally convinced that they just escaped on their own. They've shown no precedence to do such a thing before. In any event, whether or not they got out of their own will, or someone elses', they were gone. Dustin scoured the neighborhood looking for them. When we got the kids from school, we drove around to the neighborhood on the other side of the trees to see if anyone there had seen them. We left our names and phone numbers with various people in case they spotted them.
Then this morning, Dustin called the Humane Society to see if any dogs were brought in that matched Muttley or Sam's description. They had a dog that matched Muttley's. But not one for Sam. We went in, and sure enough, there he was, scared and excited to see us. But they did not have Sam. This is not a big surprise, since Muttley is much more apt to come up to someone whereas Sam is more likely to just run.
Luckily though, the gal helping us do the paperwork to get Muttley back was able to contact the animal control officer who had picked Muttley up. He told her that he had not seen another dog with Muttley, but had reports that a lady had possession of another dog spotted with Muttley at her house, and a control officer was on his way there to pick her up. We got that officers name and number, and the address for the house, and headed out.
When we got there, there she was! The officer was already there, talking with the lady. She said they had both shown up, having run across a huge field that ran from our backyard to hers (we're talking, maybe a mile across here, if not more). She said Muttley ran away, and so did Sam at first, but then Sam returned alone, scared and lost. She fed her, and got her to come to her. Then she called the Humane Society to let them know she had her.
I was sooooooo incredibly thankful that both were found and both were safe and sheltered from last night's rain! It was hard for me to sleep last night, listening to it pounding on my rooftop, thinking of them both stuck out in it, lost and alone. I thanked the woman who took Sam in profusely.
Even better, we paid nickles compared to what this could have cost us. Since Muttley got brought in after when we could have come got him yesterday, the woman at the shelter did not charge us yesterday's kennel fee. And the officer who met us to pick up Sam said he'll just use this instance as a warning. That's a $120 ticket we're free from right there. All in all, what we were thinking was going to cost us about $300, only cost us just over $60. With the money we saved from that, we are going to build up the fence around the yard so that they are physically unable to jump it or dig under it. Some nice lattice, some chicken-wire for underneath, some planter boxes and flowers for outside... maybe some berry bushes and roses for thorny deterrents. I get a safer spot for the dogs to go, and some more gardening for me! It's win-win as far as I'm concerned.
So, here's to lost dogs found, better sleep, and a negative getting turned into a positive.
Today was a good day. The sun was high and bright. The sky was a marvelous blue that you just wanted to drink up. Indeed, I could have easily spent my day lounging outside next to the lake, soaking up a good book and the sun's rays.
Instead, I got a bit busy. After a morning workout, Dustin and I went to Lowe's and spent some money. We got a nice, fragrant jasmine bush, some rosemary, some strawberries, and a peppermint plant. Then I went to Walmart and got a Don Juan climbing rose vine.
Once home with my loot, I headed out into the garden in that happy warmth, and gave my bean plant and zucchini plants their new home. Tucked nicely into their dirt beds, I gave them a quick shower, and then dug out the hole for the rose bush. Then off to pick up the kids from school, and a pound of red worms. The worms went into our compost bin, and I'm excited to start getting nutrient-rich worm poo for my garden!
I love days spent out of doors. I didn't get my outdoor lounger, since all I found where the expensive ones. I'm really only looking for a cheapo one. One I can fold up and take with me easily down to the lake. Tomorrow I figure I can get my bathing suit, and hopefully that chair. Then, the next sunnylicious day off I have, I can take my book and my chair down to that wet horseshoe, and catch those rays and that story.
I have something I am concerned with, and which affects me on a personal level. A very dear friend of mine has a daughter with what is called "an infilltrating fibullary astrocytoma in her spinal cord..." This tumor is located in her neck, by her brain stem. It is considered a brain cancer.
Rian is one of the most beautiful people I have ever met, along with her mother. The entire family is so caring, gentle and fantastic! Lately, she has been getting worse, and it breaks my heart to feel helpless to do anything about it. I've decided to be more active in getting the word out there on organizations to help care for, and more importantly, find cures for, this terrible thing that is killing our children.
Breast cancer is so dominant in the news and the research, etc. I have heard of breast cancer organizations as far back as I can remember. I think it is fantastic that they have such a strong core and support group. But it truly flabbergasts me that I had never heard of anything to help our children diagnosed with cancer, and brain cancer, before Rian's diagnosis. Where are the television ads, and news stories, and push for support groups for our little ones with this dreadful, painful disease, and their families, who give up everything to help try and make their children as comfortable as possible?
Please take a moment to read Rian's story. A wonderful website called CaringBridge provides an online journal to help give family members not only a place to keep their family and friends updated, but a place to vent, and get the word out there.
Her story is here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/riananderson/mystory
I'm also including some links to sites that deal with this tragedy, and give opportunities to contribute, whether it be monetary, or with your time. Please give them a look-over as well. I know that in this time our economy is in a hardship, and money is not as plentiful as it was for most people. But that only means that charities such as these are going to be hit hard. And these families who already have lost so much, will lose more.
http://www.tbts.org/home/ - National Brain Tumor Society
http://cbtf.org/cms/ - The Children's Brain Tumor Foundation
http://braincandyproject.org/home.html - helping parents living in the hospital with their children
http://teamunite.net/about.html - raising awareness and funding
http://rmhc.org/ - The Ronald McDonald House
http://www.wish.org/ - The Make A Wish Foundation
It's another beautiful, bright day outside. And I am, of course, getting ready for work. I did get to take a bit of advantage of it though, while I planted some lillies outside, and saw to my startlings.
It shone nicely through the window on me while I worked out this morning. I chose a random dvd from the library and brought it home. Something from Prevention that is targeted to your abs, butt, and thighs. I made it through the abs and butt segments, and then the thighs were too much for my weak little muscles! The greatest (or saddest) thing about it is the segments are only 10 minutes long! So in 20 minutes (plus the 10 I spent on yoga stretches beforehand) I got a great workout! I'm pleased, and plan to continue this! Yay me!
Now I get to waste some time while I wait to go to work. Tonight the rain clouds are suppose to roll in and wet us all down tomorrow (on my day off, go figure). My plants will be happy for it though, and then hopefully on my days off next week I can get my trellis built for the cucumbers.
So I'm going to go back to signing my heart out along with Anna Nalick, and have a fantastic day! You all do the same!
I've been trying to get a widget(?) on here that will allow people to contact me directly by email for any questions or comments that either do not fit with my posts, or you just do not want public. However, it's not working for me. Either it comes back with an error, or the capcha thing doesn't show right. It is frustrating.
So, if you have been experiencing that feature showing up, and blinking off, and showing up, and changing, and etc etc etc... I apologize. I'm thinking of just giving it up, and sticking to the comment section. You can always ask for it not to be posted if you so wish.
There is something to be said for the affects of music on a person's mind, body and soul. I love music. The soundtrack to my life is filled with so many wonderful, moving, and sometimes horrific and sad songs. But also with such uplifting and fabulous songs as well. While mainly rock, it streams over so many genres and embraces so many different melodies. Some of my most relaxed, peaceful, happy moments are spent with that soundtrack playing loudly around me. I love to sing and dance along with it, wherever it may take me!
I've decided I need a notebook. I have noticed that when I get the urge to write- like now, for instance- I actually want to write. Not type. I want a pencil and paper in my hand. I miss that process of sitting and writing. I'm tired of the computer monitor glaring in my face as I struggle over words to put down. I long for the smudge of lead on the paper, the erasures, the notes along the side. Something concrete I can hold in my hands. Somewhat like reading. I won't read those E-books. It's not the same to me. It hurts my eyes and my head. I can't put a bookmark in it and set it down for a moment. I can't drift away to sleep with it resting on my breast.
Everything is so digital now. I don't want a digital world. I want to grow vegetables in my garden, and live with dirt under my nails for it. I want to have chickens and have fresh eggs and have to clean up chicken poop for it. I want to create less waste, and deal with rinsing cans and washing cloth bags for it. I want to read and write, and have lead smudges on my fingers and torn pages for it. It sounds perfect to me.
Today I had an extra long time frame for lunch, as our morning meeting at work ended much earlier than normal. Dustin and I decided to go to the buffet here in town(well, I decided.. he just agreed to go along). I usually go there when I have long lunches, because I feel more inclined to linger there. Usually with a good book; this time with good company.
Well, it so happened that the power went out while we were finishing up. So, of course, they could not run my debit card. They also do not take checks. Since the entire block was out, there was no readily available ATM. The restaurant wanted me to hand over my debit card number. Had I been in a clearer state of mind, I would have just told the library I would be late, and sent Dustin on an ATM hunt. As it stood though, I reluctantly gave her my card information. She seemed rather flustered that I was hesitant to just hand over my account information.
It just so happens that I am a paranoid person. A contradiction, considering I am usually such a trusting person- to a fault sometimes. Keep in mind though, if you read my previous post, I just did my taxes and am expecting my return. That return is scheduled to be deposited into THAT account. Not to mention it is where my paycheck is deposited. I am constantly hearing about people stealing card numbers and going on spending spree, and with the down-turn in the economy, people are becoming more desperate.
It is not the company or even it's employees that I am concerned about. It's all of the customers that were inside. It's that thought that one of those customers could have been watching that young gal writing all those people's card information on that one reciept booklet. The one that watches when she sets it down, and casually walks up and walks out with it under his arm.
Paranoid? More than likely. But I still had Dustin go home and transfer everything out of that account and into my other one, with the exception of just enough to cover the tab at the restaurant. I figure I should also contact the bank and let them know. Maybe have them stop any other transaction with the card (excpet for the buffet's check) until further notice. Sometimes I think I worry too much. Maybe that's true. But I also am counting on that money for very specific things, and the last thing I need is to lose it to some person who decided to be decietful.
I just got done filing my taxes for this year. Finally. I kept putting it off, and putting it off, thinking it was going to be this huge, daunting task. I saw a commercial for free e-filing at TurboTax.com so decided to check it out. Even with the phone call I had to make to the IRS people to get my AGI and PIN from last year (the gal I spoke to was extremely nice, btw), I still got my taxes filed in about 30 minutes. Being interrupted by the demands of kids going to bed is included in that time. It was super easy, and now I'm kicking myself for not doing it sooner. I sound like a damned commercial, but I'm just so freakin' exuberant!
I'm getting a nice sized return this year, and if the Student Loan people don't take it, then I plan on getting my car paid off. That is a weekly burden that I would LOVE to lift from our shoulders. It will be replaced with my kids getting their dental work they need started, which will be awesome. I won't mind paying that bill. Plus, it will be once a month, and their dad will help me with it, so it's not irritating like this stupid car payment is.
And maybe I can actually go rent that damn machinery to rip up the front yard. Or maybe I'll just say screw it and leave it for now. I can focus on furniture. Or put it away for a rainy day. Maybe get a nice vacation fund started for next year. My daughter and I were just talking today about how she wants to go to California. I guess she's seen enough of Oregon now. Now she has to keep going. South of course, because she's a little devil. Or she just likes the warmth, like her mommy.
So with this added to it, this has been a fantabulously productive couple of days! I still haven't gotten that darned closet cleaned out, but that can wait for a rainy day. The sunshine has just got me in too good of a mood to cram myself in that dank, dark place!
Today my plans were to get out and finish digging that second garden bed. I started my morning (after getting back from dropping the kids at school) by going and doing my starts. I re-started my zucchini, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, chives, and more I cannot remember off-hand. Then I took the crib side I found on the side of the road and started to spray paint it a bright, sunny yellow. I am going to use the parts of the crib as trellises for my peas, beans and cucumbers. I got the second bed all dug up. I cleaned up the porch and the carport. The house is vacuumed, and the laundry finished (with the exception of the load that is still drying). All of this accomplished by noon! I'm feeling rather good right now.
The sun is bright and warm. The air smells sweet and fresh. The music is loud and motivating. I ate some pot stickers with sesame oil and a glass of water or two. I am feeling very happy and alive. I cannot wait until every day is this nice outside! It really puts my spirits high.
I realized today that one or both of the dogs decided to eat my raspberry start. Grrr. That is alright though, because I am pretty sure it was already dead anyway. Now I will be more motivated to go get another. My rosemary is not looking very well, and I think where I put it is too shaded. More so than I thought it would be. I'm concerned whether or not it will survive another transplant. They are hardy creatures though, so I'm hopeful. I plan to buy some more to add around it anyway.
Now I need to get ready for my hefty walk. Hefty for me. I plan to walk down to the kids' school to pick them up. We all decided they would like to walk home from school today, since it is so beautiful out. Which means I first have to walk down there. It is about 2 miles, maybe a little more, one way. Too bad there is no sidewalk, else I'd love to take the pups!
So this past week was our Spring Break here. Dustin's mom came up from Arizona, so we got to play tourists in Seattle. She got in last Saturday, and since she got in late, the kids and I were already in bed when she got to the house.
We woke up extra early (for us), and drove the 3 hours down to Portland. There, I got to meet Dustin's cousins. One was back from college in California, and the other was on leave from the military. Super nice people! I had a great time. We had planned on meeting them at the Spaghetti Factory at 11:00am. We got into town just before that, and in time to discover that the restaurant didn't open until noon! So we gave his uncle a call, and told them the news. Meanwhile, we had meandered a bit, enjoying a break of sunshine. I was desperate for some coffee, and we found the most fantastic little coffee shop nearby. Vaulted ceilings with Roman architecture, and even a mural on the ceiling! His family met us there, and then we walked back over to the restaurant for lunch. College cousin had a 1:30pm plane to catch back to California to resume classes, so her and Uncle left, and the rest of us went back to their house to hang out. Plenty of conversation and laughs. We may have even convinced Military cousin to convert to Everquest 2 when he comes back! Then we made the drive home, since I had to work the next morning.
Monday we hung out around the house, and caught up with Dustin's mom. I had to work that morning, but only until noon, so that was nice. We did a little bit of shopping, his mom and my daughter did some scrapbooking, and that's about it.
Tuesday we went to the Point Defiance Zoo. We got yearly passes again, so we can go throughout the year. It was a bit chilly out, but still a good time. We weren't able to see the tiger though, since he refused to come out of the trees. But we got to go behind the scenes of their woodland talk area. That was fun. We got to feed grubs to an anteater. You wouldn't guess how soft their mouth is! The kids spent some of their money in the gift shop there.
Wednesday was another day of rest and shopping. I believe that is the day it snowed. Yuck!
Thursday we went over to Seattle to the Pacific Science Center. Since it was my brother's girlfriend's birthday, we also took them, along with her daughter and niece. It was a lot of fun. But horribly crowded! I've never seen it so crowded down there! They were having their Spring Fling, so they had all kinds of activities going on. Not to mention it was Spring Break, so the place was overflowing with kids and parents. I think the Butterfly exhibit is my favorite there. We took in an Imax show. It was my first, and the kids' first. It was awesome. We got year long passes there too. Definatly plan on going back soon- if only for photo ops of the butterflies!
Friday was more shopping. My daughter still had money left over from her birthday last month, so we took her to go spend it. We also went out to breakfast, which is always nice.
Saturday was sad, as Dustin's mom had to leave, and it was back to work for me. Of course, the sun was out in all It's glory, shining magnificently. It made it hard to work! Same story today- well, minus his mom leaving, since she's already home.
I work a few hours tomorrow, but then have the rest of the day off. The next few days are suppose to be beautiful, last I listened to the news. That was this morning though, so it could have changed. This is Washington. But I plan to spend the next few days out in my garden finishing up the beds, and getting stuff started and planted. I am excited to get it going.
I also want to rip up all of the dead and overgrown brush in front of the house. That is where I'd like to put in the flower garden. It is a overwhelmingly daunting task though. I will need to either rent some heavy duty machinery, or hire someone to come out and do it for me. Either way, it's going to cost money that I don't have at the moment. Oh well, time to pinch some pennies and make them multiply!