6/15 Weird tv

Our cable network has our local CBS affiliate as the ABC station too. Does anyone know about this? I spent 40 minutes in an online chat with Comcast personnel and they told me about it. I was just reporting that our ABC affiliate seemed to be gone.

Maybe someone else in Quincy knew about this. Did you?

And tonight Gussie met the blind miniature dachshund across the street, Johnson.


Tonight's article is: Another family dead in murder suicide

9/17 It never pays

It never pays to say your back feels good. Because immediately it will start hurting in a revengeful way. Take my advice.

Still have my cold--blah, blah, ho-hum.

Had my MRI and it will be read today and the doc will probably dictate tomorrow. My doctor will probably have it tomorrow, which means my sisters will have it a few minutes earlier and they will call me with the good news. I'm going to win the "white spots on the brain" contest. It's an aging thing. And most likely nothing else will be wrong. I'm adamantly convinced it's my meds causing the balance problem. Saw my doc when I was visiting with Jan and he said the St. Louis neurosurgeon recommended surgery--same thing he told me.

Saw Lesa, the lady who adopted Quincy and Cookie. She told me wonderful anecdotes about them. I'm so happy they are so well-loved. But I still tear up when I think about them. Thank God it's only when I'm alone. The dogs have become outside dogs of their own volition--they really don't want to come inside at all, in fact they sleep outside now. I told Lesa they may change their minds in winter. These dogs are used to Mississippi winters. We'll see.

Guess that's it. I teach tonight so will go and prepare. (Jan and Jane, it was nice to see both of you today at the clinic.)

6/28 Good weekend so far

Got up early and took Gus out. For the first time he decided to roll in poop, so at 5:45 AM he got a bath. Such a skinny little thing when his hair is wet. Went back to sleep until about 7:30 or so. Made breakfast, then talked to Jane. Jan was busy, but Jane, Sarah, and I went to the Midsummer Art Faire at Washington Park. It was really nice.

Saw so many people that I knew. It is indeed nice being home. Plus got a personal tour of the Tranquility Med Spa, owned by a physician who works with Jane. It is a beautiful (and peaceful) place.

Gus was a star. I can't even count the number of people who stopped us to talk to Gussie. A popular fellow. This is another good thing about having a small dog. I can take him places with me. Right now I'm at work (trying to get my new office organized), and Gus is sleeping at my feet. Just what I want.

Forgot my security code, so the police came out. Oops. But I finally found the right one and everything ended up fine.

Nothing going on tonight, but tomorrow is the Gustison reunion, so Gussie is definitely going there since he's named after their patriarch.

6/18 More on dogs?

Still good news from Q and C's new owners. They love the dogs. So I think I can relax a little.

Cutie pie Gus was in the crate all day--I came home at lunch and let him out after he was in it for 5 hours. No mess. He was awesome.

I left him at 12:30 and got back at 5:30 and once again--no mess. I can't believe he's 8 weeks old and did so well. Here's hoping it continues.

After work, I brought him to Jane and Pete's house to meet them and their dog Bailey. They fell in love too.

I'm a lucky bug.

6/16 Great dog news

I received this email from Lesa, Quincy and Cookie's new mom:

The dogs did great yesterday. We were outside a lot and so were they. I didn't have to put them on the leads at all. If they went out of site, I just called and Quincy would always come immediately, it took Cookie awhile to return. She was too busy. First time out Quincy jumped right into my goldfish pond which is only about 4x3ft. Needless to say she got scolded for that and didnt do it anymore. They both found the creek right away and were having fun running in and out and under the culvert, over the road. and back under. Cookie definitely has some bird dog or something in her. She loves to trail scents and actually flushed out a wild turkey! Steve wrestled them in the house. At first they didn't know about it, but were soon lapping that up, esp when he rubbed their bellies. They were fighting over who got to play. Quincy loves the frisbee. I am assuming it was new, because now it has some pretty good teeth marks on it. She would catch in mid air most of the time. Cookie was too busy exploring to do much play. By the way they are scared of the stairs. Tried to get them to go down to the family room and they would have nothing to do with the stairs, even on the deck! Isn't that funny!

Anyway, they went right into bed last night. Didnt hear anything out of them at all. They were ready to go out at 5:30 am.

She and Steve put down the comforters in their spare bedroom and the dogs slept quietly there all night. I'm just so damn happy.

And Tuesday night Gus comes home.

6/15 They're gone

Yeah, I'm crying.

I picked up Jan and she went with me to take Quincy and Cookie to their new home. The home is absolutely lovely, which scares me a little bit. I sure hope the girls remember their manners. Their yard is awesome, with a creek a the bottom of it. I just know they are going to be so happy there. And Lesa seems so nice. We didn't get to meet her husband Steve because he was at church.

Lesa recently lost her little Yorkie, so she gave me a soft-sided carrying case which will be perfect for taking Gus in the car. And Joe and Cindy are giving me their crate that Kirby grew out of. That will be perfect for home. This is saving me a lot of money.

I didn't get to pick up Gus today after all because Jan and I went to help with sandbagging. The river is so high. The old bridge is already closed, and the new bridge is now two-way instead of one way. We're hoping the levees hold. They're calling for more rain tonight.

Am going to dinner with my sisters and their husbands for fathers' day. I think I got a pity invitation, but I'm happy for it. Any time I'm not at home being sad is good. :)

I work 12 hours tomorrow, so I can't pick up Gus until Tuesday after work. So it will sure give me something to look forward to.

6/14 A beautiful day

I've had a great day with my dogs today. I kind of devoted the whole day to them. Tomorrow I'll feel worse emotionally but better physically. (I've felt bad since the walks.) I have everything of theirs packed up, except Cookie's portable crate that she sleeps in. I think the dogs are picking up on my anxiety because they are more squirrelly than usual. Plus they both keep coming up to me, sitting, and just staring at me.

Some nice news--Cindy gave me a whole bunch of leaf lettuce from their garden and I made a huge salad with tons of good tasting veggies. Thanks again, Cindy. The lettuce was tasty.

6/12 Puppies and mud oh my

As soon as Q and C got home tonight, Quincy got into her favorite part of the yard--the mud hole. She's had two showers this evening. Now I am watching her sleeping on my bed and running in her sleep. It is so incredibly funny.

Went to the Humane Society over lunch. They didn't have many small dogs. Tomorrow I meet some 8 week old Lhasa Apsos. We'll see how it goes. If I fall in love, then I'll get one. If not, I'll get a miniature dachsund. (Maybe.) :)

I'm enjoying my last few nights with Quincy and Cookie.

6/11 Sunday

Quincy and Cookie are going to their new home on Sunday. It will be so awesome for them. I'm taking them so I can see where they'll live. It's about an hour from Quincy, in rural Missouri.

6/10 A big crybaby

I've been crying off and on all day. I KNOW that Q and C are going to dog paradise--an acre and a half with a creek running through it. But Lesa and her husband may be going out of town this weekend, and don't want to take the dogs until they get back. There's a slight chance their trip will be canceled though.

The dogs are at Alpha Dog for a few days to give my back a break. And tonight I cleaned up all their toys and cried.

Went on a crisis call tonight and when I got home, cried again. Damn I'm tired of this. The girls need to be with someone with more energy than I have. And I need my back to get better.

You know the dogs don't do anything to hurt me--ever. They don't jump on me. They don't wrestle or fight in the house. They don't do anything except be puppies. And that causes me physical pain. Nothing they do is bad. So the folks in Missouri are getting excellent dogs.

And I'm still crying. Duh. What a dope.

6/9 Dogs, dogs, dogs

Just got an email from someone who works with my sisters. She said she wants both my dogs. She lives in the country in Missouri. Wow! This would be the best case scenario if Quincy and Cookie can stay together. As much as I'm going to miss them, this is absolutely the best thing. My back is really hurting tonight, and has been all day. So I love these two critters so much, but know I can't give them what they need. And they can't give me what I need--some rest.

I'm sad, happy, happy, sad...and just want to find the best possible home for them.

6/8 Quincy was a star

And she behaved perfectly too. I took her to a sled pull contest at Riverview Park. I must confess that I took her just to watch and to be around other dog people, in case anyone would like to adopt her.

Well, we got talked into her pulling as well. She took to it so well and acted like she loved it. They do a test run first just to see if the dog will allow the harness on and will pull the sled. So she started with just 10 pounds, and it was picture perfect. The next time we put on 20 and the next time 31. I didn't realize that there were only two "real" rounds or I would have had them put more on her final turn. She was exceptional and I was so proud of her.

Jan called later and invited me to dinner, so I went over and joined Jan and Tim, Kris and Brian, and Jane, Pete, and Sarah. The food was superb and we ate out on their huge porch. The weather was perfect.

6/6 Mud dog

Quincy has made a huge mud pit right where the sump pump empties into the yard. I've given her five, count 'em five, baths today. It began this morning even before work. Joy!

Tomorrow is the St. Francis parish picnic. It's been years since I've been to it, and I'm looking forward to it. Most of my family will go, so that will make it even more fun.

6/5 Mississippi house

I signed the acceptance letter and faxed it today. So as long as the guy's funding goes through, it looks like the closing will be June 30th, give or take a few days. Although I'm not thrilled--because the price was a steal--I am happy and relieved.

My back was feeling better but I had to give Q three or four baths tonight (I lost count), so I'm not feeling great tonight. Every time Quincy goes outside she heads toward the mud, where the sump pump empties.

Yep, the basement is flooded--still. Sue hope it dries out soon.

Anyway, I'll sleep well tonight knowing my mortgage payments in MS are coming to an end. Hooray.

6/4 The best, the better, the good, the bad, and the OOPS.

The best is that I accepted an offer on my Mississippi house. The bad is that I'm losing a ton of money, but I just need to unload it.

The better is that I had physical therapy today and it felt good while I was there. The bad is that it doesn't feel good right now.

The good is that my promotion will give me a lot of satisfaction at work. The bad is that I'm hardly getting a raise.

The bad is that I still haven't found homes for Q and C. The good is that I get to keep them longer.

And the OOPS? Well, I slipped on a wet kitchen floor and fell flat on my back. Ah well...such is life.

6/3 I finally will talk about it

Because of my back I need to find a new home for Quincy and Cookie. It breaks my heart, but I have to do it. (Jan and Jane practically threatened my life if I didn't.)

It's true. My back just won't get better with all the tugging and pulling I have to do with my big lovable dogs. I can barely stand to think of it, yet it hurts me physically to deal with them.

Because of the mud outside I've already had to bathe them twice. It's not what I need to be doing.

So if you know of anyone who wants these gorgeous dogs, AND WILL TREAT THEM LIKE FAMILY, please please please let me know.

I love them.

5/25 Storms and such

It's been storming since 7 AM. (I've been up since 6.) Luckily I have wireless so I can still be on the computer.

We're on a slight break between thunderstorms right now, so the dogs are going crazy at all the rabbits and squirrels in our yard. Making me crazy too. I guess I'll have to have another session getting them used to rabbits and squirrels just like we did with the cat at Alpha Dog.

Here's a picture my brother Joe had. He and I are with our godson, Jordon, the graduate. Of course the only weight I'm supporting is the empty diploma holder. I just love the picture. Thanks, Joe and Cindy.



I'm going to put some things away today, and then this evening will have dinner with my sisters and two friends. We're all leaving Friday for Chicago for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk. Jane is iffy at this point because she wants to make sure Pete can do without her. We won't know that for a few days. I'm a bit iffy too, but am fairly sure I'm going to go.

5/24 Home with the dogs

The laziest of days.

The only thing I've really done all day is go to the grocery store. The dogs are a little whiny and get upset when squirrels and rabbits are in the yard, but other than that have been good. And I'm grateful for that.

Just wish there weren't so many squirrels and rabbits.

I feel really bad that I can't walk the dogs. It would calm them down. Always does.

5/21 Is it a full moon?

My dogs are both so crazy tonight I can't bear it. Makes me wonder if it's a full moon. They have both been so squirrel crazy that it's driving me nuts.

5/13 Offers

One horrible offer on the house, but when they found out I was getting another offer they upped it $10,000. Still bad, but at least worth a thought. I should get the second offer tomorrow and I'm excited.

Spent a quiet night at home with the puppies. I really missed them. Both are behaving so well. We'll see if that continues while I'm at work tomorrow.

5/11 I'm home

The drive was the hardest ever. The wind blew so hard for most of the drive that I thought about stopping somewhere and resting. My hands gripped the wheel so tight nearly the whole trip. But the nice thing was that both my wonderful kids called me while I was driving. (Thank heaven for hands free phone ability.)

And when I got home, a surprise awaited me. On the front porch was a lovely arrangement of flowers--roses, carnations, tulips, and bachelor buttons--from Rob and Beata. Such a sweet gift, and it made me feel so special.

I'll take it to work tomorrow since I work 12 hours. Besides if I leave it here Quincy will probably eat the flowers. :)

4/11 Great great weekend

More about the wedding in a moment, but my real estate agent called while I was at the wedding reception and said another agent was writing an offer but just needed to know what my property taxes were. When I got back here to the B and B I looked it up online. Thank you, TurboTax! I should hear something today or tomorrow.

The wedding was perfect and the reception a riot. We danced all night. (I'm paying for it today, that's for sure.)

Just a few minutes until our breakfast, so I'll close for now. Will try to write when I get back to Quincy. Love to all.

5/4 News, both good and bad

Pete got to go home from the hospital yesterday. He'd been in for two full weeks. The final problem was four blood clots in his leg, so they had to put a filter in his vein so the clots wouldn't kill him. This was scary stuff. He's so happy to be home, ensconced in a hospital bed in front of a huge window in the family room. Jane collapsed upnon hte couch. She is so relieved, and life will be a lot easier for her.

Bad news. Quincy wet the bed last night. That would be upsetting, but not overly so, but in light of her puppy diagnosis of a pelvic bladder, this could be disastrous. The vet in MS said that since she's been okay the past year, a quick growth spurt could have fixed the location of the bladder, but didn't take xrays to prove it. Originally they'd told me that once she becomes incontinent, there was no cure. So I'm praying this was just an aberration. If not, I've got a very difficult decision to make. And it hurts to even think of it. Anyway, there it is.

As for me, I have a doctor appointment for later this month, but in the meantime am still struggling with my back, hip, and leg. It's gotten worse the past few days.

4/23 Haven't posted much

The last few days have been hectic at work. All my clients have been showing up, so I've been absolutely swamped. No time to do my paperwork. Have been coming in at 7 most days to do the paper shuffling.

Saw Pete last night. He's doing better, still lots of pain, plus an infection in a vein, but he's getting there.

Quincy is still eating bushes, but hasn't touched the tulips which pleases me immensely, since I love tulips. The dogs only ate one hyacinth and no daffodils. Just the bushes. Must have sweet leaves on them. Either that or the dogs are bonkers. Maybe both.

4/21 He's doing a little better

The femur was broken in four places instead of three. Poor Pete. He's got a rod in his leg from his hip to his knee, plus staples and a pin. He's in a lot of pain. We're all visiting a lot, and I don't know if that's helping him or not. Hope so. :)

Quincy and Cookie sent him a plant with a note that said, "They won't let us visit you. We are really, really, really, really sorry." He liked the note a lot.

Today is my 12 hour day and my last client just left and I'm on my way home in a moment. I'm so tired I won't want to turn on the computer, so thought I'd write a note here at work.

And it's true--I don't have any fingerprints. The fingerprint gal said that it's very common in women, as they age they tend to lose fingerprints. She said I may pass DCFS, but will definitely not pass the FBI. So when they kick my form back, I'll have to re-do it. But I won't have regrown fingerprints so I don't know what we'll do. Butt prints maybe? I sure have a lot of butt.

This morning Cookie ran away. Joe heard me calling for her and we spent 15-20 minutes chasing her from 17th and Oak to 18th and Broadway and back. She sure is a fast little monkey. When I drove around the corner after searching with my car, Joe was standing in front of my house with Cookie. I am so grateful and told Joe he's my hero. And that's the truth.

4/17 Good and bad

The good news is that I picked up the girls last night and they were sure glad to be home. Jan stopped by and we walked them for about a mile and a half through and around the college, with just a few squirrel problems.

The bad news is that I was in such pain I could barely walk by the time we were finished. It's no wonder my house is still a wreck as I have trouble bending over, and have trouble standing still. Due to some pain medication I was able to sleep. This morning, I couldn't walk. Well, a little. After a hot shower it was a little better. But even with the pain meds and muscle relaxers things aren't good. I'm pissed off.

My insurance begins May 1, so I'll be able to see a doctor.

4/15 Sorry

I just can't post on most Mondays. It's my 12-hour day and I'm so busy. Today is extremely busy too, but I'm on my lunchtime and can take a few minutes. The dogs stayed at Alpha Dog last night like they do every Monday night, but I'm having them stay tonight too.

Someone is taking us to the Patio for dinner, and I wouldn't have time to pick up the girls from the kennel prior to dinner. So I'll do almost anything for a good meal. Haven't been to the Patio since I've been back in Quincy. Of course it's not really a free meal because I'm paying for the kennel, but my reasoning makes it okay. :) I do miss the girls though, especially at night. They are such good company, except...the mud thing. But this summer that shouldn't be much of a problem--or in the winter--spring though is ridiculous with mud. But the pups are worth it.

Quincy ate the top of the trash can. And I was in the next room. Ah, puppies....

4/13 Ellie, etc.

My great-niece Ellie was baptized today. It was a beautiful ceremony and she is a gorgeous three month old girl. Her full name is Elaine Elizabeth Ann and when the priest said, "Elaine," several of us got teary eyed. That's our mom's name--Ellie's great-grandmother.

Afterward we went to Matt and Beth's house and enjoyed lunch and cake/ice cream. Yum. I love getting together with the family.

Then instead of going straight home I went to the dollar store to buy some trinkets for the children I see in therapy. It's fun to play games with them as we talk, and of course it helps them to be more open to talk.

It snowed yesterday and today, but of course none of it stuck. It sure was weird though to have snow showers this late in the year. I took Quincy and Cookie for another walk late this afternoon and it was a lot more squirrelly than yesterday. Damn.

4/12 Even happier

I walked both the dogs more than a mile. Together. Did you read that last word? Together. It was super. Only one small problem and it was caused by, you guessed it, a squirrel. But I got them under control very quickly and we went on our way. Walked all around the college

I can't tell you how pleased I am. This was my main goal, to be able to walk my dogs together.

It wasn't perfect, but it didn't take much energy on my part, except to walk. :)

4/12 I woke up happy

Don't even know why. The dogs did have to get up during the night--but they came right back in and went to sleep. Then they got up at 6 AM as always, but went right back to sleep, so I actually slept until 7 (eventually).

My back felt bum early this morning so I took ibuprofen (lots) and it's starting to feel better. The good thing is that while my breakfast was cooking I put away a box of books, with lots more to do. In a moment I'm going to take the dogs for a walk. Later today I have some shopping to do--especially for my great niece Ellie's baptism which is tomorrow. I love family occasions like this. It will be fun. I've been back for three weeks and haven't met Ellie yet.

Tonight I'm going to dinner with lots of sibs and spouses. That'll be fun too. As for now--Q and C want to go for a walk. Adios.

4/9 Pretty successful

It was a good training class for the dogs and for me too. I was able to walk them together throughout the huge training facility. Then Elizabeth brought in a cat, and the dogs continued to do fine. Finally she walked another dog through--a pal of theirs--and they kept walking with me. I told her that if she could only bring in a squirrel, then we'd really know if we were successful.

So tonight, after work, is the real test. If it's not raining I'll walk Quincy and Cookie to the college and we'll see many squirrels along the way. Here's hoping....

4/8 Wet and cold

It's not really cold but feels that way with all the rain. I just keep chanting...bring May flowers. That's what this deluge will do for us.

Have another appointment for dog training tonight. We're going to try to walk the dogs together, because that's been my goal all along. We'll see how it goes.

I did finish my taxes, and because of my move will get money back. Except I had to file in two states (Wisconsin and Mississippi) and the WI one is all messed up. I couldn't e-file it, so will have to re-do it this weekend.

Got another box done last night. At this rate I'll be done by the time I have to do taxes next year.

4/6 A good weekend

Took the dogs for a walk (separately) this morning. It worked really well. I loved it. Walked about a mile and a half in beautiful spring weather. The dogs loved it too.

And my niece Sarah just called. She's going to take the dogs for another walk this afternoon. Great. They'll be nice and tired. While they're gone, I'll finish my taxes. (About time, huh?)

Last night John, Joe, Jane, Jan, Paulette, Cindy, and I went to mass together, and everyone but Jan went to dinner at Kelly's Tavern afterward. A nice evening.

I got a few more boxes put away yesterday and plan for a few more today, after I get my taxes done.

4/5 Dogs, house, lunch, shopping, and I succeeded

The girls have discovered squirrels. They jump at the huge maple tree in my backyard, and also have a go at the fence. Cookie is such an extraordinary jumper. I wish there was an agility course here. Maybe there is--I should check that out. She would be so good at it.

After working half a day I joined my sisters for lunch at the only Thai restaurant in town. Our niece, Kelly, happened by and she ate with us too. It was such an enjoyable meal and we sat for quite a while afterward just talking.

And I did it. Yes, I did. I made it through the whole meal without talking about my back pain. I'm very proud.

I went grocery shopping with Jan afterward, and even that was fun.

Last night my back bothered me a lot, so I called Jane and asked her a few questions. After using a moist heating pad and taking pain medication I was able to sleep well. Unfortunately the dogs had to go outside at 2:30 AM. The past week they slept through the night only twice. It's one day at a time with that--but I do think they finally feel like this is their home.

They sure love the big yard and get lots of exercise running and jumping every time they go outside.

Jane will be over in a little while to pick me up. I'm going to buy some new clothes for work. Then a haircut at one, church at 4:30. After that I'll have time to unpack some more. Last night I did unpack two big boxes, and that felt good.

4/2 Owwwwww!!!!!

I was making dinner and all of a sudden Quincy went crazy. I thought she was having a seizure or something. She was flailing so badly she knocked me over. And oh my I hurt!

Her collar got hooked on the handle of one of the lower cabinets, and she panicked. So knocking me over wasn't her fault at all. That doesn't make it hurt any less however.

This sucks though because tonight I had a little energy left over from work, and had planned to get some stuff put away tonight. I still may do it as soon as the ibuprofen takes effect. We'll see.

But in the meantime...ow!

(Prior to that, I went in the backyard and practiced their new skills they learned last night. It went well. Cookie needed a little re-training, but Quincy remembered everything.)

4/1 It's April

What a great day. I was so busy at work that the day just flew by. Then I went to Alpha Dog to pick up the dogs and have their first private lesson. Elizabeth thought Cookie would be easy and Quincy difficult but it was just the opposite.

I was so proud of Quincy. She only needed one big correction and that was it. And I was correcting Cookie practically the whole time. She finally got it though and did well too. I'll have to get the right kind of collar and keep practicing with them.

Then I stopped by for Tim's Uncle Bill's birthday party. I think he's 82. Jan made a great salad and they ordered pizza. I was late, but Bill said he was really surprised. A nice ending to my long day.

3/29 Brrr

It's been really cold, but thank heavens it's sunny. They're putting the gates on today, and then my fence will be complete. This morning I've been putting away items in the house and the dogs are driving me crazy because there's a squirrel in the tree in the front yard. They've not experienced this before.

The other things that drive them nuts are rabbits. Until here they'd not even seen a rabbit much less have them in the yard. They follow the trail around and around and around. Mind you they are on a leash, so I'm going around and around too. C'mon fence!

Went out to dinner last night with my sisters and their husbands, and a friend Debbie. They'd been setting up for the monster garage sale to be held today. Their proceeds will go to our Avon Breast Cancer Walk in Chicago. I can't help because of all the "stuff" to do in the house. But I'll probably join them for lunch when they're done at one or so.

Guess that's it. Back to work.

3/27 Rain, dogs, pain, work, fence

They started on my fence today, but only got the posts up. It's been raining all day, so I'm surprised they even got that far. Hope the rain stops tomorrow, but it's not supposed to.

Just got home from work. I sat in on four therapy sessions today and got to participate a little. It was great. I begged for toys from my family to stock up my office. Apparently I'll be seeing more children than I originally thought.

The dogs stayed home all day today. (I stayed for a while this morning because the AT&T guy came to fix things--my DSL is now working, HOORAY!) They were alone for seven hours though and did fine. I'm grateful. Tomorrow they go to doggy day care to get nice and tired.

The pain in the title is my hip bursitis, and also a recent back injury from the silly stupid poopy Cookie. She has yanked me around as if I were a marionette. Amazing, she weighs 45 and I weigh considerably more, but when she sees rabbits she goes crazy. So I'm drugging up and going to bed.

3/24 Not unemployed

:) My first day at my new job was today. I think I'm going to love it, but my head is absolutely spinning. There's so much to learn. But it will all come back to me, and I'll settle in rather quickly I think.

The funny thing is that I know so many people there. Worked with many of them years ago at Chaddock, and others I know from activities I was involved in when I lived here.

The dogs had fun at Alpha Dog, but came home muddy because they dug all day. Elizabeth said she went out to stop them at least 10 times today. They were trying to get to some birds. Yay for mud. Thought I left it in Biloxi.

3/23 Happy Easter

Went to mass this morning with Jan and then went to her house for Easter dinner with her family and Jane's. Delicious food. Nice dogs. Fun card games.

Am now home with my pups.

Snowed last night and at 5 AM when I took the dogs out, they were jumping around in it, catching snow flakes with open mouths, just like kids. They ate it off the ground too. Just what I needed when all I wanted was for them to do their business and let me go back to sleep. :)

Last night was fun. Dinner and drinks at the Abbey for Eric's birthday then everyone came over to my messy house. We had a ball though.

Too tired to write much. I need to take a nap before I get busy putting more items away.

I start work tomorrow.

3/21 New home, same blog

Have to hurry. I'm signed on to a neighbor's wireless. Don't know who. Can't connect to Joe's across the street, so I'm "borrowing" someone else's. Can't get my own to work at the moment. Will try again tomorrow.

The trip up here took less than 14 hours, and that's with a 90 minute stop at a vet's in Jackson, MS. The dogs were very anxious and uncomfortable so we got them sedated a bit. They were out like lights. And it made the trip easier on all of us.

When Genia and I (and two very groggy dogs) got here there were so many wonderful surprises waiting for us. More about that tomorrow.

For now--all my stuff was delivered and we are safely ensconced in our new home. The dogs are not used to all the traffic. We lived in a very quiet area, plus they had the privacy fence. Here it's very noisy--close to a busy street with a gas station across the back alley. The dogs won't even go to the bathroom. Yikes.

More tomorrow.

3/18 On the truck

Everything is out of my house. Everything, that is, except the tons of dog hair left behind. Oh my. And to my embarrassment, there's plenty of dog hair being transported to Quincy too.

But the wonderful news is that my stuff will be delivered on Friday. Yes, this Friday. My shipment was last on, first off of this truck. I'm beyond pleased. This means I won't have to take a day off from work without pay in order to be there for the delivery. The cable guy is coming Friday too. Other than having a huge mess, I should be good to go. The phone is already turned on, and I'm calling water and electricity tomorrow to get them in my name. Got a text message from my niece Kris today with the necessary phone numbers.

Things are progressing. And I'm anxious to get going. It's going to be hard to leave here, but I can't wait for the next chapter to begin.

3/4 Laughed until I cried

Quincy in the muddy backyard



Quincy and Cookie didn't even need to be told to get into the bathtub. They knew.



Q has such a beautiful white coat, but is almost completely covered in mud. It doesn't normally show on Cookie very much. Today it did. Unfortunately you can't get the full effect from these pics taken by my old phone.

3/4 Storms, etc.

I was up most of the night with the puppies. The thunderstorms were huge and fantastic, but kept waking up Quincy. Poor Cookie was already awake. She gets really scared during bad storms. Plus she had diarrhea. Q has the tapeworms and C has the diarrhea. Go figure. (Cookie didn't have an accident however--just had to go outside every half hour or so until around 4 this morning. I'm proud of her for not messing in the house.)

I'm waiting for the Sears technician to arrive. (Insert doorbell sound.) He's here now, and we have two new motors plus other parts. So the elliptical should be entirely fixed today. That makes me happy. Now that it's fixed it's time for the elliptical to be moved to Quincy and to not work again.

I forgot to post this. But when I was leaving the conference at the Beau Rivage last Friday I saw an old guy with a Packer hat on. I said, "Go Pack!" And told him I lived in Milwaukee for 10 years. Asked him where he was from and he said, "Eagle River." I screamed a little and said that's where my son-in-law is from. Asked him if he knew the Potrykus family. He said, "Sure, Doc's my dentist." Doc is Todd's older brother Neil. Eagle River is a small community, and the world is a small place.

3/3 Tapeworms

No, not me. Quincy. Poor thing. I brought both dogs to the vet today for their ears. Thought they might have an infection, but it was just lots of wax. But while there I asked her to just check them out since we were moving. Found out Q has tapeworms. And the only way you can get them is by eating fleas. Neither of my dogs have fleas. So she either got them at doggy day care or her training class.

And she's lost three pounds since two weeks ago, so I feel bad. She's on meds now and should be fine soon.

Cookie's fine.

3/1 This month

As my s-i-l, Andrea, reminded me--I'm going to be living in Quincy this month. I can't even believe it. One week from tomorrow my family is coming. Two weeks from Monday the movers are coming. In two and half weeks I'll be leaving. Wow. And I haven't done much yet. So--bye bye.

2/28 Can't sleep

The dogs woke me up at 4:30 to go outside. They came right back in and went to sleep, but not me. I haven't been able to go back to sleep. My mind is just racing--so much to think about, so much to do. I have to put the finishing touches on my presentation for tomorrow. There are going to be around 300 people there, and we are talking about the importance of funding case management. Some federal folks will be attending, and it's vital they hear us.

Then of course there's all I have to do with the house and other items to get ready to move. I'm so excited, yet know there's a lot of work ahead of me--not the least of which is driving to Quincy with both dogs. Last time I drove to Quincy in August, Q was six months old and I didn't have C yet. Now Q is one and C is 18 months. They'll take up the whole back of the car, plus I have to take at least two suitcases, a big bag, dog food, toys, water, computer case, purse, and a dog crate. Oh my. I have no idea how I'm going to get everything in the car. But I'll do it. Everything always does work out, even when it seems impossible. I just want to have enough room in the back of the car so the dogs can at least move around for the 12-15 hour drive.

Lots of fun things to look forward to also--I'm going to be home for Easter. Plus family members are arriving on the 9th. I love to show off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Besides the devastation still in evidence, there's incredible natural beauty. It'll be fun to have them here.

2/25 What I learned

What I learned is that my dogs do not like to be cooped up when visitors are here. The Sears guy is here working on the elliptical, and I put my dogs in the office with lots of toys and treats. In about 30 seconds Q started barking and C started crying. Oh my. I tried putting them outside but I knew that eventually I'd get complaints about Q's barking.

So here I sit with the dogs in my office while the guy is working on the exercise equipment.

It's a good place for me to be though because I have to turn on my work computer and get to work.

Lots of visitors today. I'll sign on later with more doggie reports. You do find that interesting, don't you?

2/24 More cleaning

Last night Genia and I had fun at the movie. Definitely, Maybe is definitely, not maybe, worth seeing if you like romantic comedies. We both thoroughly enjoyed it.

Today is cleaning again. Am tackling the kitchen floor and my bedroom and bathroom. The three most "doggy" rooms in the house. Right now I'm in the office typing this, and they are lying at my feet. Sweet, sweet dogs. But that will change once I get up again. They'll follow me around and want to "help" in their unique doggy way.

Yesterday I realized what a time crunch I'm under. Two weeks from today my company arrives (YAY!!!!!). And they leave the following Thursday (13th). The next Thursday, the 20th, is my last day at work. Yikes. I just have three and a half weeks until I leave. Sure hope I can get everything done.

I have five people coming by tomorrow. Paula, my real estate agent; a painter for an estimate; floor covering estimate; moving estimate; and a guy to fix my elliptical trainer. It's going to be busy. Plus I need to actually work in the midst of it. And the dogs can't be at doggy day care because they are closed on Mondays, except for boarding.

Yikes. I'm stressed--but this kind of stress is great compared to the stress of not having a job to go home to. :) And I really can't wait until my family comes to visit.

2/23 Trying to clean

It's not easy with two "helpers." Now they're outside in the mud, and I'll have to clean them off. But they sure amuse me.

I put a baby gate in the hallway so that when I get the living room cleaned it will stay clean for a few days, but little Cookie jumps over it as easily as if she were walking. I had tried using two kitchen chairs. They worked for Q but Cookie crawled through the legs. So after the baby gate didn't work I put kitchen chairs in front of it. Cookie still jumped it. She's something. I'm afraid I'll have to put a six foot privacy fence around Kris's yard because Cookie will be able to jump over the small fence on the west side. Oh well, that's what you get with big dogs.

They're both worth it. (Since I wrote that I've given Q her first bath of the day. Can't wait until the grass grows back. Here it not only dies in the winter, it disappears. Now it's starting to show again because it's been so warm. But there's still more mud than grass.)

Tonight Genia and I are going to see Definitely, Maybe. I love Ryan Reynolds, and Abigail Breslin too. Caroline is in New Orleans with her Mom for the weekend, so Genia and I will have to eat popcorn alone.

2/22 75 degrees and storming

It's a waste of a perfectly fine day. Seventy-five degrees--that's my perfect temperature. But it's storming. Tomorrow and Sunday will be either sunny or partly sunny, but only 65 degrees. I shouldn't complain since my family is still in the throes of winter.

Because of the rain the last several days Quincy has gotten lots of baths. She loves the baths as much as she loves rolling in the mud. Cookie isn't a bath fan, but will jump in the tub just because I tell her to. She's a good girl, but still kind of skittish about things. Luckily she loves people as much as Quincy does, so I never have to worry about that. Plus she's a great "early warning system" when people are coming to the door.

So much to do to get ready for the move, but that will make the time fly. Of course, I don't want it to fly too much because there's not much time yet. I sure hope I'm able to get everything done. I'd given notice that my last day of work would be 3/21, but found out that's Good Friday, so it's holiday here since we're a faith-based organization. So that will give me an extra day to get home. I can leave early that Friday morning and arrive in Quincy 12-15 hours later. Both dogs are good travelers, but Cookie hasn't traveled more than an hour or so at one time. I've got my fingers crossed. I've asked either Caroline or Genia if they want to drive with me, to help with the pups. That way they can meet "the family" up close.

We're having a case management summit at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino next Friday. I'm going to do a small part of the presentation, and I'm stoked about it. Should be a good conference.

Quincy's graduation from dog training is next Thursday. Unfortunately she and I can't be there. I'm going to be spending the night at the Hard Rock Casino with Caroline and Genia, because C got a $59 rate. It's the night before the conference. I'm having a private training for an hour for Cookie. She's a well behaved dog except on the leash. She pulls more than any dog I've ever had. It's almost like a compulsion to be somewhere. Poor thing. She pulls so hard that her belly almost touches the ground. It's hard on me too, so I'm hoping Erika (the trainer) can do some magic.

2/21 Time? Anyone have time?

I can't believe all the stuff I have to do prior to leaving here on March 21. Oh, my.

Today I found out that CitMortgage doesn't do bridge loans, so I'm in process of getting a pre-approval letter, so when the time comes, it won't take long at all to get the mortgage. In the meantime, if my home doesn't sell before I leave, Kris will rent to me until my house sells.

Even though the market is rotten elsewhere, it's still pretty good here, because of the storm. So I'm pretty confident that it will sell within a reasonable period of time.

It's raining horribly here, and I have to take Q to dog training class tonight. But it's supposed to be beautiful over the weekend--70 and sunny. Yay.

2/20 Chocolate cake and champagne

What in the world would possess Genia and Caroline to surprise me with champagne and chocolate cake?

Could it be that I got hired today?

Yep. I'm going to be working as a therapist for a mental health center in Quincy, IL beginning March 24. Am I thrilled? You betcha.

If all works out as planned, I'm going to buy my niece Kris's house when I get there.

So much to do between now and the 21st, which is my last day at work. One month from tomorrow. Wow.

Thanks, Genia and Caroline. I had a really fun evening.

(Oh, and I kicked their butts at spades. It really is my lucky day.

2/18 Home again

Yesterday it rained most of the day. The wind blew and we had tornado watches all day until 8 PM. But we had a short period of time when it was nice, so we walked along the beach and picked up shells for Genia.

The rest of the day we played cards, read, slept, and ate. All in all a perfect day. Yeah. I needed relaxation, and yesterday filled the bill.

We left Florida around 9 AM because I wanted to be at work by noon or so.

It was a near-perfect weekend. I'm so grateful to Caroline and her aunt. What a beautiful home, and Aunt Webbie is a beautiful lady.

But I'm glad to be home, with doggies all over me. It feels good.

Pictures later.

2/16 Happy birthday, Quincy!

Yep, Quincy is one year old today. Can't believe how time has flown. I'll post pictures of her once I get back home.

Later I'll try to post about our wonderful trip here in Florida. Can't even begin to describe the GORGEOUS home we're staying in--right on the beach.

By the way, go to http://www.wlox.com and go to "More News and Videos" or something like that. Then click on Krystal Allen reports on Donald Powell's visit to South Mississippi. It's not too long, and I'm interviewed. Tried putting the link here but can't do it.

2/10 Queen Quincy

She's got her paw on top of the bone. She knows that Cookie will try to steal it as soon as she notices Quincy is sleeping.

2/10 A near-perfect day

Yesterday was wonderful. It started with a relaxed morning playing with my dogs. Then I took them to the kennel to stay overnight. I wanted to spend the day doing things with my friends and I knew I wouldn't be home until late. It was cool, and my guilt was relieved, when we got there. Two of Q and C's playmates were there and were spending the night too. Maya is a beautiful Weimereiner, and I forgot the other one's name but she's a combination of a yellow lab and a pit bull. She's quite lovely and very friendly. So the four "girls" were going to have a slumber party.

So that freed me up to have a day out with friends. Caroline and I went to the driving range and it was great. It had been a while since I had my golf clubs out. It felt good to be doing it, and I look forward to playing golf with her.

Then she and I met up with Lorena and Rosemary at the Vietnamese Seven Martyrs Catholic Church for a Vietnamese festival, celebrating their new year. Oh my, we ate so much food. I had a vegetarian soup with noodles and vegetables. These huge piles of vegetables came on the side and I added them bit by bit and savored every morsel. The others were able to share their dishes and seemed to enjoy everything. Rosemary then ordered three desserts that we all sampled. Interesting and very different. Fried bananas (yum), a sesame seed encrusted bean paste (very good), and a pudding-like substance with four different kind of potatoes in it (I didn't like this one).

Also there--a sight to behold. A Vietnamese priest sang. He got up with a microphone and really got into. Found out afterward that he was selling his CDs there as well. Wonder if he was a performer prior to entering the priesthood, or if he still did this. The pictures on the CDs didn't show him in his Roman collar.

It was such a beautiful day that we didn't want to go home yet, so we went to the Hard Rock Cafe to sit outside and have coffee. Oh my, it was absolutely lovely.

Okay, have to get ready for church, so I'll finish this post when I return.

2/9 The job picture

Numero Uno guy said that I'm to talk to the HR director soon about job details, salary, benefits, etc. If all sounds good, then I'll be interviewed by phone. I know Uno, so a phone interview is fine. That's great because it'll save me both time and money since I won't have to fly to Quincy for the interview.

Then I got another email from Uno saying his brother, Numero Dos, had a position opened that would fit me. I know Dos as well, and it feels good that there's someone else interested.

Who knows how this is going to turn out. But I absolutely want to move to Quincy if at all possible. The job with Uno really appeals to me, and I'm praying the salary will be enough to support me and my dogs.

I'll keep you updated.

2/8 Another miracle

I was gone for five hours tonight and I'd left Cookie out of the crate again. Once more the dogs were perfect. I'm so grateful. Guess they behave better when I'm not here. Kind of like when my kids were little.

Played cards with Genia, Caroline, Lorena, and Rosemary at Genia's house. We certainly laughed a lot, which is exactly what I needed.

One of the funny things (and you probably had to be there to appreciate it): Genia is ALWAYS saying completely random things. While playing cards she looked at one of the cards on the table (it was a jack) and said, "I've never known a guy named Jack, and I think I need to meet one." She then issued a challenge, but started by saying, "Don't say no; it's a waste of time. You know I'll eventually convince you to do it."

So here are her rules:

1. This has to happen after dark.
2. Most of us have to be there.
3. We have to be drinking.
4. We must go up to a guy and ask, "What's your name?"
5. If he says his name is Jack we must immediately say, "Want to buy me a drink?"
6. Only then can we explain the contest.
7. First one to find a Jack and ask for a drink wins.

What does she win? Oh, there's no prize.

Yeah, that's our Genia.

2/7 A long day

Just returned from a great, but grueling, training session with Quincy. She learned some really cool stuff, and I really hope I can keep it up. Plus I made arrangements to take Cookie for a one hour individual session to deal with her horrific pulling on the leash. I'm sure looking forward to getting her broken of that.

Today was busy, but tomorrow will be even more so. Lots to do.

BUT I did hear from one of the places I applied to in Quincy. They want to set up an interview. To say I'm psyched is definitely an understatement.

Wish me luck.

2/5 Mardi Gras and I was scared

No, I wasn't scared of Mardi Gras. But, until today, 5 1/2 hours was the longest I'd left the dogs in the house alone. Today it turned out to be more than 7 1/2 hours, so yes, I was scared. Plus, I'd left Cookie out of the crate because I don't like to leave her caged up for that long.

So I said a prayer as I opened my bedroom door. And guess what--they were nearly perfect. Certainly no bathroom accidents. And was I ever pleasantly surprised! The only thing they did wrong was take a few things out of my bathroom wastebasket. And one of them (I'm sure it was Cookie) chewed on the toilet paper.

It was a perfect ending to a super day.

Mardi Gras was a riot. Five of us (me, Genia, Caroline, Lorena, and ) met up with Angie and Paisley on the parade route. We got there very early and had lunch. Then we sat and people watched. What a hoot.

This was my first Mardi Gras parade and I loved it. I had so many bead necklaces on that I almost lost my balance. Really. And when I tried to take them off I couldn't do it. Laughed so hard that it made the task impossible. Lorena finally helped me and it felt great to get those beads off. But I was still laughing.

Now I'm home and am going to do my last night of wallowing. Will post parade pictures when I get them from Genia.

Gosh, I love my dogs. They were such a surprise!

2/4 Work is good for the soul, and the psyche

I feel much better today. Working is a great medicine.

Pampered Pets is closed today so the pups were home this morning, but this afternoon I brought Quincy with me to the office. She's a lot more antsy than Cookie was. Drove by the vet's to get some meds and weighed Quincy. She's only gained 2 pounds since Rob was here at the end of November--she's 78 1/2. I sure thought she'd be more than 80 by now. But what was funny is that she's 20 pounds heavier since the last time I brought her to the vet's.

Just gave her an almost empty jar of peanut butter. That should keep her busy for a little while.

Tomorrow is the last day of Mardi Gras. Am going with friends to the Biloxi parade. We're having a picnic so I get to use a really cool little cheese board set that I got from Jim and Karen at Christmas. I'm taking cheese, crackers, and beer. Genia's taking wine, chicken salad and something else. Others will fill in the blanks with chips, bread, and other items. Should be a fun day. I just hope Doggy Day Care is open so I don't have to worry about going home to let the dogs out. Everything is closed here on Fat Tuesday.

Not this weekend but the following one, I'm going on a road trip to Florida with Genia and Caroline. I absolutely can't wait--a totally relaxing weekend with no responsibilities except to have fun and relax. Yay.

2/3 Wish it was still blah

It's so nice outside, and so dry, so while I blogged I left the back door open. I looked up and Q was on the camel colored sofa and had mud all over it. And I do mean ALL over it. Apparently she found the one mud puddle left in the yard.

Thank God for a carpet and upholstery cleaner. So that's how I'll spend the next hour or so. I bathed her first, and now must bathe the couch.

2/3 Blah....

Today I slept, watched movies, slept, played with my dogs, and slept. I'm awake now to watch the Super Bowl. A very blah day.

Last night was fun though. It was just Genia, Caroline, and I at Caroline's house but we laughed so hard we all three cried. That's what I call a good laugh.

Back to work tomorrow.

1/28 Hours fly by

I could have stayed at work until very late tonight, there's so much to do. But Monday is the day Q and C stay at home because Pampered Pets is closed. I have to go home for lunch and I have to leave work at 5 in order to accommodate the toileting habits of my pets. :)

They are always nuts on Mondays too because they are stuck inside all day. Quincy reacts to that especially. I tried to take her for a walk, but the neighbor kids were outside and were screaming and yelling. It was way too distracting for her and we were only outside about ten minutes. Cookie lasted even less than that.

Can't wait until I can walk them both on a more consistent basis.

1/27 Oops, skipped yesterday

Had some friends over last night to play dominoes and cards. We played from 7 until around 11, and I had a great time. Cleaned the house for company and then had to give Cookie one bath and Quincy three because of the mud outside. It's rained for days.

Then today Quincy walks into the house and looked the same color as Cookie. So of course that required a mega-bath. And that's about the most energy I expended all day. Decided to take the day off from thinking and/or working. It's been great. I slept for more than two hours this afternoon. A slice of heaven.

Back to the grind tomorrow, but in the meantime this feels good.

1/24 Dog class

Q and I just returned from her training class. Once again she growled at two dogs and I just don't understand it. But she picked up on the two skills really well--"Leave it" and walking. I'm hoping I can keep things up at home.

Everything went really well there (except for the growling). Other than that it was a great class. I'm looking forward to the next one already.

Because I knew Cookie would have to stay home alone while Quincy went with me, I took Q to doggy day care and brought Cookie to work with me today. She was well-behaved and a lot calmer than she is when she's with Quincy. It was fun.

1/23 Crazy dogs

First of all it was so hard leaving Los Angeles. I miss the kids and Jill terribly. Wish we lived closer; but I'll continue to visit as much as possible.

The trip home was uneventful; the real action started at Pampered Pets. It's unbelievable how crazy Quincy and Cookie got in the 12 days they were there. They practically knocked me down. And in the car they kept leaning over the front seat crowding me. I must admit it made me feel good that they missed me as much as I missed them.

When we got home they ran through the house as if they were on speed. And they had no manners at all. But right now, they are sound asleep on my bed, both of them curled up together yet each touching me as well. It's so cute.

Tomorrow night is Quincy's class. Hope she behaves and doesn't get expelled for bad behavior.

Gee, it's good to be home.

1/13 Odd day

Started at church where I cantored, plus had a solo during "Wade in the Water." It went well, but I made one error that sufficiently humbled me. So that's good.

The dogs have dug a hole nearly under the gate. Won't be long until they are both gone--running through the neighborhood like unruly children. I put their poop in the hole and hope that will deter them. I know they'll just start somewhere else, but at least I stopped one hole from getting worse. (Kind of like the "starfish" tale.) :)

My wrist feels immensely better, hurts a lot less; so I'm exercising it just a little bit. Then back into the brace.

I've been traveling way too much, according to my dogs. One of them has pooped and peed in the house three times this weekend. I honestly don't know which one it is, but I suspect it's Cookie. She's the one with the really bad separation anxiety.

Tomorrow I leave for Austin and later in the week will go to Los Angeles to see the grandkids. Hooray. (And of course Jill and Todd too.) I haven't seen them since August and am pining away for the little sweeties.

But this means that my dogs will sleep at Pampered Pets for ten nights, with only a one night at home in between. No wonder their behavior (and my nerves) suffers. I should be home for a while after these trips.

Adios, and I'll write from Austin tomorrow night.

1/12 Mud and more mud

Hard to type with a wrist brace on, but it'll be off in about five more days so I can't complain.

The canine cuties are driving me crazy. They come in the house muddy more often than not. They use my bathtub more than I do. And yesterday they found a mole and tortured it with teasing. There wasn't a mark on it, but I bet it went somewhere and died--simply from being teased to death.

Then the dogs dug about a 20 foot trench next to the house. Guess they found the mole tunnel and followed that. They are really something. Don't know what I'm going to do about this digging. Maybe cement over the whole back yard? Believe me, it's an option I'm considering.

They come in and go right in my bathroom when they're muddy. Don't even have to tell them to go there anymore. Q jumps right in the bathtub and waits for me to turn on the water. C doesn't like the water but she knows she has to endure it as a consequence of her dalliance with mud.

(Thanks to my friend Genia today for going grocery shopping with me and lifting the dog food bags, and also for putting my Christmas decorations up in the attic.)

1/11 A week from hades

What I didn't say in yesterday's post was that I hurt my wrist at dog training. And late last night both my dogs rolled in the mud and swam in the holes they dug. So both had to have baths which exacerbated the injury.

By this morning the pain was horrible but I had a meeting I couldn't miss. After the meeting I went to the doctor. I knew it was just a sprain but wanted to make sure.

It is a sprain but involves tendons, ligaments, and a muscle. It has to stay immobilized for a week, then we'll see.

1/10 Q's first class

Just got home and I'm exhausted. Quincy went to her first training class and she growled at other dogs. I can't believe it. She's never displayed any aggression at all before, and I thought she was well socialized with going to doggy day care so often. But no, she growled. I think she was proving she was alpha.

Anyway, it was embarrassing. Kind of when your kids misbehave in public. Any of us know about that? :)

It was a good class and we're doing clicker training. Q is smart anyway (even if not always well-behaved) and learned quickly. I'm looking forward to next week.

1/8 Smart dogs

at least some of the time. Cookie is stalking a fly, and the fly is hiding behind the blinds. Every time he comes out, Cookie goes after him. She caught one yesterday. (Yes, that's how warm it's been. I've seen two flies.)

So that isn't what's smart. Like most sisters Cookie and Quincy fight a lot, but they also fall asleep on top of each other (not like most sisters). So they do like each other, but they fight a lot.

Both of them have special tricks they pull on the other one. Cookie will get a toy that Q loves, and lie on the floor with the toy between her front paws. (Oh, now Quincy has taken over the fly stalking.) Then she'll act like she's not interested in it, will look away, and even pretend to be sleeping. As soon as Q comes to get the toy, C takes off with the toy in her mouth. And she's much quicker than Quincy. I swear I can hear her laughing.

But Q gets her back. When Cookie has a toy Quincy wants and can't get, she goes to the door so I'll let her out. I'll open the back door and both dogs will go out. Quincy immediately turns around, comes back in and gets Cookie's toy. I swear I can hear her laughing too.

At least they both keep me amused--when I'm not yelling at them to stop fighting.

1/3 I've been unfaithful

and my dogs know it. Not only are they sniffing all my clothes as I unpack the suitcase, they are eyeing me like, "We know what you did."

I can't help it I adore dogs, even other people's. So I cuddled a lot with Alfie and Rocky and Max. So sue me. (Perhaps Quincy and Cookie will indeed do that.)

They licked my coat today up one side and down the other, as if putting their own scent back on it was the most important thing in the world. I guess that's a lot better than the other way dogs mark their territory.

I did miss the little buggers. But they are wild, wild, wild. Am working on trying to get them back under control, but I leave again the week after next and I'm afraid their wildness will be repeated. At least I won't be with other dogs when I'm in Austin, but I will be when I'm in Los Angeles.

Guess I'm a loose woman when it comes to animals.

1/2 Home again

New Year's Day 2008, I'm in the middle with the pink scarf around my neck. Brrrrrr.

January 1 was awesome as usual. Part of the family went to the cemetery to celebrate Mom's and Dad's life, and we toasted them with a beer, like we always do. There were 20 of us there, which was great. It was absolutely freezing--a bitter wind was blowing, but we huddled together and enjoyed the visit.

Then we went back to the old homestead, owned by Joe and Cindy, and ate and ate and ate. We played games all day too. Most of us got very involved in the musical version of Catch Phrase. We played Texas Hold'em too, twice. And I won one of the tournaments, so that was a good pay off. Others played Cattan, which is a game where you build civilizations. Others played Rummikub and Triominoes. It was a super day.




Here's a picture of Rob and me on Christmas day enjoying the scrumptious meal.

12/31 Family stuff

Sorry I haven't posted for several days, but I'm staying at my sister, Jan's. She lives in the country and has dial up connection. She's ordered DSL but it hasn't been turned on yet.

So I'm sitting in a coffee shop in Quincy. Free wi-fi is a good thing. :)

I'm catching up on some work while Jan is working at the clinic this morning. Jane is off, but don't know what she's up to. I've been here since Friday and everything is going beautifully. Jan and Tim are always so welcoming and loving to me. It's such a treat to stay in their beautiful home. Friday night we just relaxed and played some games. Saturday we went shopping with Jane and her daughter Sarah. I got a few after-Christmas bargains. Saturday night all the siblings got together, without kids. We ate at Sprouts. It was a lot of fun. Several of us went to the Elks afterward, where we met up with True and Pat (a cousin and her husband).

Sunday Jane, Jan, and I went to Mass together. Then last night Jane and her family came for dinner, and so did Kris and her boyfriend, Brian. Kris is Jan and Tim's daughter. Also, Tim's Uncle Bill joined us. Caught up with the cast of characters? Just wait--there will be tons more tomorrow at Joe and Cindy's house.

Tonight Jane and her family, and Kris and Brian are coming again for dinner and games. I'm looking forward to it. But of course the reason for my visit will happen tomorrow--on New Year's Day. More on that later.

12/7 I've been absent

Sorry for the scarcity of blog entries, but I've been working late every night. It just seems there aren't enough hours in the day. And when I am finally finished working, I play with the dogs. They miss me. And I sure miss them. Wednesday night they had to stay at Pampered Pets because I couldn't get there before closing. So last night I made sure I picked them up and brought them home before going back to work.

These pictures are of my dining room and kitchen. The table isn't my regular one but the one I put up when people are coming over to play cards. Rob put up the shelf which contains some of my lovely items from Okinawa, including two beautiful tea sets from Rob and Beata.

12/3 In the 30s tonight

Guess I should stop bragging about the weather. :) It was in the 60s and sunny today, but tonight is supposed to be about 35. I brought my outdoor plants inside, just in case. And Quincy ate some of them. Yeah. Luckily I don't have any poisonous ones.

This is the closest I've ever come to smacking her. Boy was I ever mad. Then I found the plant in another room. She hadn't eaten it; she just played with it. I was a little less mad, except now I have mud strewn about. That's nothing new of course.

Have been working tonight (work-work stuff), so I better get back to it. More pictures tomorrow.

11/30 Still more pics

Quincy fitting in a tight spot when we were putting up the tree


















My house


















A sad saloon in Bay St. Louis


















A familiar sight--No Trespassing sign and desolation.

11/24 It's really Sunday

What fun we've had. Today we drove around and enjoyed each other's company. I showed Rob all the devastation from Ocean Springs to Waveland, and he is angry that our country doesn't realize all the work yet to be done. But we managed to have fun despite the storm's ravages.

After the drive we went to High Cotton to eat. I had my usual friend green tomatoes and Rob enjoyed a seafood platter. We went to Lowe's afterward and got stuff to work on the house. Then we re-cleaned the place and my friends came over at 7 to play games and cards. They just left. And it's actually Sunday instead of Saturday. They loved Rob and he loved them, so it was a successful evening. And both Quincy and Cookie were so well behaved.

Tomorrow we're putting up my Christmas tree and cleaning out my office. He's also going to put down some boards in my attic so I can store things there. Lots to do tomorrow and we'll celebrate our good work by going to the Beau Rivage for the seafood buffet tomorrow night. Should be another wonderful day.

Rob is super, and it's such a pleasure having him here.

11/17 Word games

(The dogs earlier today. They seldom walk on the floor--they just go from furniture piece to furniture piece.)


Just got home from Genia's. We played two games I brought back from my Words weekend in New York. Everyone had fun--Genia, Caroline, Lorena, Cindy, and me. And everyone did well; we took turns winning which is always nice. :)

I left my puppies for 4 1/2 hours, and they did super. Eli walked them tonight so they were tired, which I appreciated. Of course they are wide awake now, so I'll have to stay up for a while. Maybe I'll play some online poker....

Tomorrow I have to clean the house plus have a few hours of work-work to do. So I can sleep in a little if I need to. (And by the looks of the dogs' energy levels right now, I may have to catch up on sleep tomorrow, because it doesn't look good for tonight.)

11/15 Dogs get exercise

Eli, a neighbor boy, said, "I'll run with your dogs every day for $10 a week." I said, "You got a deal." We settled on $1.50 per time because I'm not home seven days a week. So tonight he rang my doorbell, and the dogs went crazy with happiness. He took them one at a time and ran around the block twice with each one of them.

I walk them, but there's no way I could run with them.

Life is good, and the dogs are sleeping.

11/12 Home with some tired puppies

Quincy and Cookie have been asleep for hours already. Apparently they played really hard while I was gone--there were four other labs there over the weekend. So they had lots of big dogs to play with.

I got home around 5:30 with the dogs, and it felt good to come home.

The weekend was great though. It was so worth the money it costs. The presenters were so wonderful, witty, and downright funny. I especially enjoyed Bob Mankoff, the cartoon editor for The New Yorker, and Ira Glass, from This American Life on PBS and Showtime. They were both funny in person as well, and so nice. I got to talk to both of them, but spent more time with Bob, because his wife Corey and I hit it off, and we spent time chatting.

And it was great spending time with my friends Gloria, Larry, and David. Gloria was part of the program so I didn't get to see her as much as I would have liked. DF and I had fun together. It's always good to spend time with good friends.

I especially enjoyed that a few other participants thought we were married. It sure made us laugh!

Now, it's back to my regular life--must go to work tomorrow.

11/8 One year

One year ago today I left Milwaukee. My trip took me back home to Quincy, IL for several days. Then I drove to NC, arriving on 11/14, Rob's birthday. Rob and Beata opened their home to me for a few months while I did disaster mental health work for the Red Cross.

I stayed there until March 1 when I began the job with LSSDR in Biloxi.

Can't believe it's been one year since I left Wisconsin. One year since I've done stand-up. One year since I've done sketch comedy with BroadMinded. One year since...lots of things.

But I'm not sad. I miss all those things certainly, but I love where I am and what I'm doing.

Tonight though I miss my puppies. Am leaving very early tomorrow for New York, so I had to put them in the kennel already.

This weekend will be a ton of fun. Am going to Mohonk Mountain House in the Hudson Valley. Will try to post while I'm there.

11/3 Busy day

Jan and Tim got in on time last night and got to meet three of my friends. And my dogs were very happy to have new folks to attack with love.

This morning we took Quincy and Cookie to the kennel and then drove along the Mississippi Gulf Coast toward New Orleans. Jan and Tim both seemed to enjoy the beauty of the coast while being saddened by the devastation.

We decided to drive down south of New Orleans to the end of the Mississippi River. The drive was too sad, full of refineries and poverty. So we happily decided that the French Quarter was the place for us. We walked for hours, and drank for hours too (or so it seemed). But it was a very enjoyable day. And Tim got thrown a lot of beads because of his willingness to expose his breasts.

Jan and Tim both just went to bed, and I'm going to head to mine soon. We laughed at how old we are.

I'll miss having my puppies with me tonight.

10/29 Me and the dogs

I never say I am the dog's "mom." Never. It kind of makes me shiver when people say that too much about their animals. Yet, yesterday when both my dogs posted I found out that they see me as their mom. Didn't know that before.

So I guess I'm their Mom. Hope Rob and Jill aren't going to be jealous.

10/28 Quincy here

A friend of Mom's--Carolyn from Texas--had her Siberian Husky Shelby post a blog. So Mom decided I should do this. Here are the rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. Tag eight dogs at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving them a comment on their blogs.

My random facts:

1. My name is Quincy. Mom named me that because she's homesick for her hometown of Quincy. It's kind of a silly name but I answer to it. She got me when I was eight weeks old. I was beautiful.

2. I love my Mom but she's a pushover most of the time. She tells people she's the boss but we know who really is.

3. I have the softest fur ever. It's true. Just ask me.

4. I'm probably the whitest yellow lab you've ever seen. It makes it more fun to roll in the mud. That's my favorite thing about our yard. There's lots of muddy spaces. Mom pretends to be mad, but I just jump right into the bathtub and that makes her laugh.

5. I know how to behave, but sometimes choose not to do so. I love playing with toys and have chewed up every toy Mom bought me. Except for one--Mom said she's going to buy lots of them so I can have one wherever I go. (Oh, Cookie chewed up the seatbelts in the backseat. She's bad.)

6. I'm 8 1/2 months old and 68 pounds. Mom doesn't like to weigh a lot, but I do. It's fun growing bigger and bigger. Mom calls me Marmaduke sometimes because I look like the Great Dane in the comics.

7. I was glad when we adopted Cookie. She's okay, because she knows I'm the boss. I like wrestling with her.

8. I have a "pelvic bladder" which means I have to go to the bathroom a lot. Mom doesn't get mad that I wake her up in the middle of the night. That's one of the reasons I love her.

I have to tag eight dogs---here they are: Sadie, Bobby, Bella, Chilli, Rocky, Max, Ellie, and Cookie. (Don't feel left out--the rest of the family dogs will be tagged in Cookie's blog.)

10/26 Stuff

Stuff: I hit my head really hard last Saturday in Charlotte and am still having headaches. I'm thinking I should go to the doctor. There's a small dent in my skull.

Several years ago I hit the exact same spot. It's really embarrassing, but I closed the back of a Chevy Tahoe on my head. Have no idea why I didn't think the thing would hit my head, but it did. And it will hurt every now and then, but nothing major.

Now, with hitting the same spot, it just hit me--maybe I shouldn't use that word--it just dawned on me, that I should probably go to the doctor.

Other stuff: My pups are so darn cute.

More stuff: Weighed them today and Cookie is 48 pounds (up 7 pounds) and Quincy is 68 pounds (up from 60). Heavyweights--but Cookie looks positively dainty next to Q. They are both slender, which makes me happy. Slender but big.

10/17 Packing up

Lots to do at work today, then the landlord sprayed for ants and the smell gave me a horrible headache. So I had to leave around 4, but that's okay. I had lots to do at home too. Am packing for my trip. It's not so easy--everything, including my sleeping bag and mat, have to fit in a duffel bag. So I have to stuff everything for Thursday through Sunday.

I can't wait until tomorrow though. I haven't seen Rob and Beata since May and it'll be wonderful to see them.

But I miss Quincy and Cookie already. What a wuss.

10/15 Cookie news

I tried walking the girls together again tonight, but it didn't work. Sigh. I walked them separately and that worked out fine.

Later, they went out in the backyard and got muddy. (Again? Still?) Quincy did her usual thing of coming inside and jumping in the bathtub. The miracle occurred when Q jumped out and Cookie jumped in. Yep, for the first time I didn't have to fight Cookie to get into the tub. I tried to reinforce that behavior as much as possible. Hope it happens like that from now on. She may weigh only 40-some pounds, but it feels like more when I'm wrestling her into the tub.

So much to do to get ready for North Carolina. I'm doing laundry now. Tomorrow night is cards, and Wednesday night is choir practice. I leave really (really) early on Thursday so tonight is really the only night I have to prepare.

Knowing me, though, I'll finish late on Wednesday night. Ms. Procrastinator!

10/15 Leaving Thursday

I get to visit Rob and Beata on Thursday and part of Friday. Am flying to Raleigh and will stay at their house overnight. Then on Friday they're driving me to Charlotte, where I'll participate in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk. I was asked to be the Operations Division Leader for the crew and said absolutely yes.

It's a great event, and my sisters, nieces, friends and I go to the Chicago one every year. My sisters and I have done it for the past six years and over the years others have joined us. It's such a wonderful time. Even though we're all so busy--especially Jan who walks the 40 miles--we still get to spend some quality time together and I cherish it.

This one won't be as much fun as Chicago because they won't be there, but it's a worthy cause and I'm looking forward to it.

Plus it will be super to see Rob, Beata, and the zoo. Haven't seen them since early May when I drove back there to pick up Quincy. She was eight weeks old at the time. And about eight pounds. Now she's eight months old (tomorrow) and more than 60 pounds. How time flies!

Can't wait to see two of my kids!!!!! I could use the hugs.

10/14 Weather, etc.

I took the pictures yesterday when we went to PetSmart.

I absolutely love this weather. It's really cool at night 50s and 60s and it's been sunny and in the high 80s during the day. Wonderful.

I've slept most of the weekend. What a waste, but it felt great. And I was able to walk both dogs at the same time for about a half block. Can't believe what a feeling of accomplishment I had. A neighbor kid was on his skateboard, so that was too distracting and I couldn't walk them anymore. But it was a good start.

Today at church it was fun to sing in the choir. I cantored a bit, so got a small solo. We're supposed to sing at the cathedral sometime in the near future. I love gospel choirs.

10/8 Monday, rain, dogs

More baths for Quincy because of the rain and mud.

I have the cleanest dogs in the world.

Cookie is clean because she won't go out in the rain. So I put her on the leash and drag her into the backyard. Then she rushes her dainty little body back into the house.

A few minutes ago I noticed Cookie didn't have her collar on. I found it in Quincy's mouth. It was a lifetime guarantee collar that was bitten in half and Q was happily munching on it. Well, at least I'll get my money back, and luckily I had a spare collar.

The pictures are of them pretending to be guard dogs. They're actually curious dogs, always climbing on top of the couch to see what's happening. In this case it was a telephone repairman. Luckily they don't bark at people, just stare at them. :)

10/7 A minor miracle

I walked Quincy around the block. No big deal. Been done many times before.

But I also walked Cookie around the block. I used the techniques my pal taught me. Cookie pulled on the leash every now and then, but it was nothing compared to the psycho pulling she usually does. Amazing. And then, after a bit she stopped totally stopped pulling and just walked at my side. The exception was when we got to my driveway. Then she got semi-psycho again.

When she pulled I stopped and corrected her. She waited patiently until I started moving again.

Yes, it was a minor miracle. Now I have no excuse to not walk the dogs.

10/6 A good Saturday

I cleaned most of the house today--everything but my bedroom and bathroom and perhaps I'll hit those tomorrow.

Quincy's had three baths today because it rained so much yesterday. Of course she's taken mud baths all day which caused me to do the inside baths. But I do love how she'll jump inside the bathtub as soon as I point. She knows when she's in trouble. Unfortunately there's a mud trail across the carpet in my bedroom. I'll hit that tomorrow too. Thank heaven for carpet shampooers.

A friend walked Cookie tonight and taught her not to pull. I hope it "takes." He uses the Dog Whisperer techniques coupled with some other training methods, and it looked great. It started raining so I didn't try tonight, but will after Mass tomorrow.

9/27 Dogs and me and work, as always

I know these pictures are a bit boring, but the dogs were wrestling so much outside in the dark and making so much noise that I just aimed the camera and clicked. They do this thing where they each bite the other's ear and then they have each other. But neither can move. It's hilarious. They are at a standoff and neither one wants to let go. I couldn't catch them doing it, but caught them once when Cookie let go first.

Today was another stressful day at work--nothing bad happened, but it was just stressful. I still haven't unpacked my office and can't wait to get that done.

Can't believe it's almost the weekend already. This week has flown by.

9/26 I love my dogs

I had a rough day. Had to stay at the new office all day by myself waiting for technicians who never showed up. Everyone else went to help the caseworkers move to their new place. So at least it was quiet, but sure was lonely.

But I picked up my puppies and they immediately cheered me. It's great to get that unconditional love. We got home around 6, I gave them their dinner, made my dinner, and by the time I was done eating they were sleeping. Michelle and Leo at Pampered Pets said both of them played hard today. Their Weimereiner friend was there and they all got worn out.

Quincy's passed out on my bathroom floor. She can see my bed from there so will open an eye every now and then to make sure I'm still typing. And Cookie is sleeping on my bed. Her favorite chew toy is close by but she can't be bothered because she's comatose. Aren't they cute?

9/25 Moving day and dogs.....

First the dogs. They were at the vets yesterday and got weighed. Cookie is 46--up three pounds since we got her. And Quincy is 59. Up 51 pounds since I got her. :)

Today we moved to our new office, and then we had an emergency conference call for hours and I didn't put anything away in my office. So tomorrow there's a ton, ton, ton of stuff to put away. Plus regular "stuff" to do.

Q only had to have one bath today. That's because every other time she went outside I was right at her side, saying NO every time she went toward the mud.

We're now watching Tropical Depression 13 in the Gulf.

9/24 Lots going on

The day at work was busy, busy, busy. And tomorrow I move my office from Biloxi to Ocean Springs. So lots of extra work to be done. I blanked out my calendar to devote the whole day to moving.

Tonight was a special choir practice because the choir is going out of town to perform for the weekend. The musical director said that he wished I were going with them because I pick up the harmony easily and have a good alto voice. So that felt good to hear.

The pups have been crazy again tonight. They always are nutso when Doggy Day Care is closed (Sunday and Monday, plus I don't take them on Saturday). I'm glad they're back playing with their friends tomorrow. They'll be much more settled tomorrow night. Yay.

9/23 Rainy day fun

It rained all day today. The puppies were good while I was at church but when I got home they were ready to play. After a bath because both of them got in the mud in the backyard, they just both went crazy in the house. Didn't hurt anything, but they were wild.

After they'd gotten muddy I opened the door, yelled at them, and Quincy went into my bathroom and jumped in the bathtub. Can't get her to stop jumping on people, but she jumps into the bathtub without being told. Pretty funny.

Cookie doesn't like the bathtub as much as Quincy, but she tolerates it. Right now they're wrestling on my bed, but at least they are clean. For now.

I watched a Food Challenge on the Food Network this afternoon. It was a challenge on making Mac and Cheese. They all looked so good--I made some myself. Used some shredded cheese I had (Colby, Monterey Jack, and Cheddar), and I had bought some fresh Asiago, so I grated some of that in the roux. It was really good. Luckily I made a lot of it, so I'll have some to take to work for lunch.

Guess that's it. Not a lot happening on this rainy, gloomy, muddy day. Singing in the choir was fun though.