8/22 Weekend, yeah!

I'm really looking forward to the weekend, and spending more time with Gus.

Today I attended a workshop on Autism and it was really good. I also hired the second of five people that I need. So all in all a good day.

8/13 Off to Mattoon

Have to go to Mattoon today to get trained as a trainer for a certain test we administer when we're doing our crisis screenings. It'll be a long drive about 7 hours total for a three hour training. However the only other one is in Chicago, and that would take even longer. So Jan is letting Gus out over lunchtime and Cindy is letting him out after work.

I'm very lucky to have sisters who love dogs (and me). Thanks, Cindy and Jan. I love you.

2/29 Wow, busy, busy

Didn't blog yesterday because I spent the night at the Beau Rivage Casino and Resort. Was on the planning committee, and also a presenter, for a conference we held today. And they ended up having an extra pre-paid hotel room from someone that didn't show up. So Genia and I took it. What a fancy, schmancy hotel. I loved it. The bathroom had a huge shower surrounded by clear glass. And also a gigantic soaker tub. It was great.

Today the conference went so very well. My presentation seemed to be well-received. Genia was awesome in hers. So we felt pretty darn good. About 300 people were there. Nice group full of committed disaster workers.

Tonight Genia had a party at her place. We played Cranium and I laughed so hard I snorted.

Just got home. Tomorrow morning I pick up my dogs. Sure miss them. Lots to do this weekend.

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.

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.

12/12 Busy and nice

Today was a decent day. I had to attend a training in the morning and give a training in the afternoon. The good news is that the afternoon training was cancelled, and in the morning training no one else showed but me. So the instructor taught the 4 hour class to me in 2 hours. I had plenty of extra time today.

Then it was a case manager's birthday so I joined a group for lunch.

Tonight I rushed the dogs home, then went to choir practice. It was cut short too because the organist couldn't make it.

So time was my friend today. I like it when that happens.

Now the doggies and I will watch the finale of America's Next Top Model.

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.