~A Bitter Swallow~

My son had karate again this evening. He'd had to miss two weeks of class due to a toe infection, and then a camping trip with his Boy Scout Troop.

But in light of this, and a mark of just how dedicated he has become to his karate studies, he was able to complete the next kata in his class, and he got his second stripe on his belt. This was completely unexpected! His sensei told him that if he can complete this kata flawlessly and with confidence in two weeks, he will put his name up to be challenged to earn his orange belt!

So far, his sensei is highly impressed with my son's progress. He's only been in karate for three months, and knows two katas, and strives to further his knowledge of terminology as well as form of movements.

I've watched the qualifying tasks for achieving an orange belt. It was pretty brutal, both physically and mentally. He has a couple weeks to prepare for it. Now it's time for me to be on the ball as well, and while I may not be able to help him with protecting himself in the physical part, I can at least get his mind prepared for the knowledge part.

I'm so proud!!

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.