Brrrrr… February

February 4, 2009 at 18:27 (Uncategorized)
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It has been so darn cold lately. Wiscosnin hasn’t seen above freezing in weeks, except for of course, the weekend I was gone. How is that fair?

Ben and Alley are doing fine, despite the cold, but we’ve had to lessen our trips to the park for now. The weather is just not cooperating, but the kids are still getting their exercise, mostly annoying each other.

I’ve happily been able to put both of them on much more of a raw diet lately, which makes me happy. Even Alley is eating her veggie pulp. Such a good girl. Of course I have extra veggie pulp because, as well as working out, I’ve also been juicing fresh fruits and vegetables to have with my breakfast after my exercise. I tell ya, I can literally feel it. And… no waste, the dogs eat everything I don’t.

Since Ben’s favorite activity is eating, I had no doubt that he would eat the pulp, but Al can be finicky, but she ate it all up today, in record time, of course the little bit of tuna on top was probably helpful!

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A Few Days Away

January 21, 2009 at 05:46 (Uncategorized)
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In a few days I am taking a weekend off, and it is so entirely welcome. I can barely wait! Flight, car and hotel arrangements have all been made. I’ve talked with people there and many activities have been planned. I still need to make arrangements for Ben and Alley while I’m gone, but, that’s about it. How am I supposed to wait…

Tonight I’ve tortured myself looking at different websites, looking at pictures, reading about places of interest… sigh… pure torture.

In other events, today was finally nice enough that Al & Ben and I were able to get to the dog park. It’s been a handful of days since we were there last, but it had been below zero for days on end. I couldn’t see going out in that weather. But, today we went back out and it was glorious. We were there for over an hour, which may have been a bit too much for Alley. She and Ben were out like lights for the remainder of the day.

I also was enthralled while watching President Obama’s inauguration ceremony. This country that we live in is truly beautiful. No where else in the world do things occur like they do here and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

Today I also took some time to write a letter to one of my family members… being part of my New Year’s resolutions. It was really quite nice to sit down and write a letter. Very soothing.

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Day Fifty

December 12, 2008 at 18:51 (Uncategorized)
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Wow – Fifty Days!!!

Dogs are dogs, but they are man’s best friend because they adapt and change for each owner.

Over the last few weeks, Ben, who has always been a snuggler, has now become a licker! Yup, he’s gone from his super-sweet nuzzles to a great little kiss on the chin. Yet, he almost never makes any noise, which I find odd because his previous person remarked that he can be a talker.

I admit, I talk to my dogs. I talk to them like I would talk to anyone else, probably more so even. I tell them what I’m doing when I’m going through the house. I ask them questions about what they’re doing and how they’re feeling, and I greet them whenever I come or go. I am a talker at heart and they don’t seem to mind.

This morning when I woke up Ben wanted to play. We have a morning routine where he sticks his big old cold nose into my warm neck and then stays there until I get out of bed. Every morning it is a power play between two very stubborn animals. I have tried to reason with him, telling him that I like to sleep till 1000. He insists that he has already compromised and 0800 is plenty late to sleep. By 0830 every morning he wins out and we go out for our morning walk.

Once I get up, rub the sleep out of my eyes and find jacket, gloves, boots, hat, poop bags, leads, etc… both he and Alley are besides themselves with Joy! I wish I could be so happy about going outside in the morning.

This morning it was in the single digits. There is something fundamentally wrong with that. I consider that extreme temperature. I mean, isn’t that considered Arctic? I think I passed a sled dog team this morning, and they were looking like they’d taken a wrong turn into too cold a climate too!!!

Ok, well, just another few hours of work and then I can go home. Sigh…

Today I had to struggle to make it to work. I really really really wanted to turn around and get back under the covers. Its warm in the apartment but I’m just in the mood to hide today. Instead, I set about trying to get some financial worries ironed out. I actually made really good headway, yet, I dont feel that much better. Maybe once I get home things will be seen in a better light.

I was reading the news today.

This story caught my eye: Hunter In Southwest Wis. Bags Wolf By Mistake

Its not that the story was that much of a shocker, but I thought that this statement seemed a tad…. obvious.  “Warden Jeffrey King, of the state Department of Natural Resources, said the mistake shows the need for coyote hunters to know the difference between the species.”  Well, um, ya… I guess that should go without saying, shouldn’t it? I mean, if I go coyote hunting, I should have some idea of what that is exactly, shouldn’t I? Just saying you’re going coyote hunting and coming home with a bald eagle, well, I mean, thats still illegal, even if my intentions were to shoot coyote.

Ignorance is not immunity from the law. Yet, lots of people seem to think that is a perfectly good defense.

Here’s another one: Ex-Nasdaq chairman arrested on fraud charge in NYC

NEW YORK – A Wall Street powerbroker for nearly 50 years who built an influential firm has confessed to a massive fraud scheme that will cost investors at least $50 billion, federal authorities say.

I don’t know about you all, but I feel bad when I realize after the fact that the store gave me incorrect change and I am $1 richer than I should be. I mean, I’m happy, but I also feel responsible.

How the heck does this guy sleep at night, knowing that he is screwing people out of $50 billion dollars? I can’t even fathom that amount of money. I have no idea what that is! This is not Superman 3, He’s not Richard Pryor milking 50 billion people out of a buck… probably not even a billion people out of 50 bucks… Bernard Madoff is taking a significant amount of money from a significant amount of people. And at 70 years old, what possible punishment can the justice system dole out? Take back his memories of living the high life on other people’s money?? Ya.. right!

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Day Forty-Nine

December 12, 2008 at 02:22 (Uncategorized)
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Its been a while, I know. When I get behind then it seems like a monumental task to blog again. Its not that I’m not thinking of you all, cuz I send music, but… I just dont find time to sit down while I’m at work. I almost never even touch the internet when I’m at home anymore. In fact I’m going to cancel my home internet simply because I might use it once a day and its nothing that I can’t just check when I get to work, or… as I plan, check on my new phone, but I’ll talk more about that later.

First off, Thanksgiving.

For Thanksgiving I went to go visit my family down south. I’ve visited my family more this year than I’ve ever visited them before. I attribute some of it to truly missing them, especially my sister and her family, and having the freedom and time to do so.

This, as best as I can recall, the first time I have sat down with my family for Thanksgiving dinner in 16 years. I mean, my mom, dad and sister. My mom visited for Thanksgiving three years ago, and we ate together then, but, its been a long time as a whole family.

It was a nice visit, as most of my visits have been lately. I stayed with my mom this time, the last few times I stayed with my sister. I’d not taken into account that my mom is an early to bed person with her job, where I am the exact opposite, a night owl because of my work hours. But, it wasn’t bad, because I was able to relax each night and just do nothing.

It’s not that I can’t do nothing when I’m at home. Its just that even if I had been stressing out about doing something, I simply couldnt. No internet, just a computer with lots of recorded TV I hadn’t gotten to watch yet and a phone with unlimited text messaging! I had lots and lots of “me” time.

I went down on Wednesday, spent Thanksgiving with my mom and then on Friday we had a meal together with my sister, brother-in-law, nephew and dad. On Saturday, with the threat of bad weather on the horizon, I dedided to head out at half time of the MU vs. KU game.

On Sunday I decided to cancel my vacation day and go into work. If I’m home I might as well go to work, right?

Here are a few pics from when I was with family.

First is my mom and sister cooking for Thanksgiving!

Sis and Mom cooking

 

Elise and Ben and I

Elise and Ben and I

 

Ben, Alley and I

My entire family loved Ben.  Which is not hard to imagine! He was a very good boy while we were there and remembered his manners. Alley and Ben both played nicely with my mom’s Weim “Jesse” and for the most part everyone got along with “Chauncey” too. Alley likes Chauncey because he plays at her speed, which is all out, all the time!

Not much has been going on since I got home. Work and snow I guess.

winter

This was our first true snowfall and that was before Thanksgiving. A few days ago we got an additional 9″ plus there is always more snow in the forecast.

The last few days I’ve been thinking about getting a new phone. I’ve looked at lots of phones and I think I finally settled on the LG enV2, which gets great reviews, but… it means I have to switch cell carriers.

I’ve had US Cellular forever and ever, but Verizon has all the same coverage as US Cellular plus lots and lots more! PLUS…  there just aren’t any phones I want from US Cellular. I might as well stick with my Motorola RAZR and I’ve had that for a few years now, and although I love it, it’s time to catch up with technology.

Well, looking at options and carriers and phones, etc. had me on Craigslist today. On a whim, while I was on Craigslist, I looked at available apartments. My lease is up at the place I’m at now at the end of January, but I had planned on signing for another 5 months, to get me into summer and move then. But, things don’t always work like we think they should.

Well, this apartment caught my eye, and I’m going to go look at it on Saturday. They accept pets and its in a really nice area, worlds better than where I am now, and it’s not any further from work. It also has a pool, fitness center and is in walking distance to a dog park. Perhaps its fate, perhaps not, but, I’m going to go look at it to find out. :)

In other news, on December 2nd, my husband and I were divorced. He is such a procrastinator… poor guy. He was there, on time, but with paperwork he was still filling out. I suppose a lawyer would have made him fill it out a bit more promptly.

We didn’t use a lawyer for our divorce. We paid not quite $200 to file the paperwork with the county and took care of the whole thing ourselves, with no other costs but fuel to drive to the courthouse on hearing day. I know some people would say, if you get along so well with someone that you can negotiate an entire divorce, including real estate and property division, perhaps you could have, or should have, stayed married. Ya, its not like the thought didn’t cross my mind.

I don’t hate my ex-husband. Not even close. I’m not a fan of his recent attitude of live it up and be a rude shallow prick to everyone, including me, but, well, he’s got to sort that out for himself. I know that deep down he cares, and deep down he’s still trying to figure this all out, what happened and where to go from here. I feel bad for him. I feel guilty for how I’ve treated him and I feel responsible for his behavior. Had I handled myself better, perhaps he wouldn’t be quite so damaged.

When I first left him I wanted him to wise up and realize he can’t treat people the way he treated me. Of course, I needed to learn the same lesson. I wanted him to just leave me alone and go away, but on the other hand he had been my best friend for the last 7 years and I wanted him to still be there for me, when he hadn’t been there for me in our marriage, but, still… his kinda being there was more than I had available to me.

Ya… I don’t know. It’s been eleven months now since I moved out and there are times where I miss the house, and fewer and fewer times where I miss him. But, I’m not as angry with him anymore either. I’ve forgiven him for all that there is to forgive and I think he has forgiven me, at least I hope so. He’s still too proud a bastard to say “I’m sorry!” but, well, miracles don’t happen everyday.

I guess what I do now is look at the future and say, where do I want to be now, where am I going? I look at my job, my hobbies, my relationships and say, “Are these what I want?”, “Are these going to get me where I want to be?” and I guess more often than not I say, “Yes!”. What more can a person ask for.

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Day Twenty-Nine

November 22, 2008 at 23:12 (Uncategorized)
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Where does the time go??? It seems like I missed a week!!

Let’s see, besides work, I haven’t been up to much. Ben and Alley are doing well. I bought new collars for them on Thursday!! Just like the ones that I wanted. Alley now has a single row of alternating spikes and rhinestones on a pink leather base and Ben has three rows of spikes and rivets on a black leather base. They both look absolutely adorable!!! My friend Dawg thought that Alley was showing off her collar, which I’m sure she was. Sometimes she gets this little prance going, and boy, if she didn’t look like she was bouncing with every step, neck held up high! What a good girl. Ben just looks like the collar was made for him! If I had access to leather I would make him the collar I see in my head. A little bit “badder” then what I can fine retail. Pictures will be coming. My camera battery is dead and I keep forgetting to charge it.

Now of course I want to take it one step further. Mastiffs were used as war dogs, and you can see why. I wouldn’t want to face one on a battlefield, thats for sure. So, with my skill at making chain armor and chain mail, I want to make him some sort of plating/armor that a traditional war dog would have worn. Wouldn’t that be breathtaking???

I’m thinking he would make a great subject for photographs, plus be a hit at parades and Ren Faires, as well as Halloween. Plus, I think people have forgotten what purpose dogs used to serve. Sure, now all we ask of them is to be companions, but every breed out there had a purpose. Sporting dogs are the dogs they are because people needed hunting companions. They made hunting EASIER! Herding dogs made animal husbandry EASIER! Working dogs protected life and property, and in some cases, made our conflicts weigh heavier in our favor. You can’t help but have more respect for dogs when you actually appreciate them for being the beautiful, trainable, advantages that they are. They are good for so much more than just being couch potatoes and fashion accessories. But, I guess I’m part of a dying breed when I think that way.

Ben and Al will get to show off their new collars in a few days when we all head down to see my family for Thanksgiving. This will be the first time in 3 years that I have celebrated a holiday with any of my family and probably 13 years since I will have celebrated with the whole family. I’m excited! It feels good. I’m not much of a family gathering person. In fact, I’ve liked being divorced and living on my own because I’ve been able to skip all that family stuff. No birthdays, holidays, so on and so forth. I’m pretty selfish. I know!

But, beisdes sister, nephew, brother-in-law, mom and dad… I’m also thrilled pink because Al and Ben will get to play with Tyson, my sister’s APBT/Boxer mix. He’s got something else in him too, to make him big, because he’s definitely a good hundred pounds, but… Ben has got him beat and they are going to have a BLAST! I hope my sister has insurance. Alley is also a big fan of Tyson, so this is just going to be a bully brew ha ha!

Also, as part of a new tradition we are trying to start at work, to further along the camaraderie we feel as a shift, we went out as a group last night for a just a beer after work. It was wonderful. Rick, our friendly bartender at the Argus was as inviting and funny as ever and we genuinely had a good time, Brooks, Dawg and I. Brooks and I also went over to say “Hey” to my buddy Mike over at Madisons before the night was over. It’s really nice having just a beer or two with buddies. It makes the world right. It gives a person time to relax and just hang out. I look forward to the next time we can do that.

Have a good night all… back to work for me.

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Day Twenty-Two

November 16, 2008 at 04:32 (Uncategorized)
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Morning all… OK, It’s 2200, but, how else could I start a post?!?

Ben and Alley and I started out our Friday morning by going to the dog park with our friend Dawg and his Olde English Buldogge, Molly. We went to a park to the south of us and let the dogs run around like goof balls, like they know anything else!

Alley, Ben and Molly get along very well and they look like quite the troupe of Mush Faces running around. Ben really loves going to the park. He runs around and you just cant take your eyes off him, one part fear that he is going to stumble and hurt himself, three parts amazed at how he can really get going! He and Alley and Molly were all running and then someone stumbled and dogs went down in a heap and then all hopped back up and started running again.

Alley’s favorite game is “keep away”. She has the tennis ball and no one else can even look at it. This keeps them entertained for ages! She also periodically runs into the water, which must be about 35 degrees now, but she doesn’t seem to care. Ben and Molly wade in after her. It’s really Ben’s time to shine since Al is still swimming when he’s not even up to his chest. If he ever had a chance of getting the ball from her, it’s then.

Dawg and I were sitting on one of the park benches talking watching the goofs. Alley is the point dog. She goes out and checks everything out, while Ben and Molly stay back on executive protection detail. Ben leans against our knees, and he can hit 3 of 4 knees this way, and Molly sits with her back to him and us, keeping an eye out. It was hilarious when she backed up so that she was literally sitting under Ben, ever watching.

Later Ben and Alley were trying to wrestle each other. Al loves to try and kill her dog friends. It’s the truth. She does everything she ever could to take Topper down at the throat, and since she has accepted Ben as her new bosom buddy, he now gets the same treatment. Funny thing is, he is NEVER going down! First off he has this huge neck of rolls and rolls of fur. Al can’t get a grip on anything. Secondly, her entire head can fit in his big maw of a mouth. Alley of course has had to perfect her “Boxing” skills, getting up on her hind feet just to meet him eye to eye. They are a joy to watch! Especially when Ben gets the “zoomies” and Al gets the look of “Oh no! What have I done!?”

Yesterday Ben was also extremely adorable when he went to meet a pair of Labradoodles for the second time. The first time he greeted them and the owner normally. The second time he saw them coming towards him down a path, so he literally laid at the head of the trail… and waited. Big old noggin resting between his paws, just waiting for them to get there. Both “doodles” had no idea what to think, and Ben only got up when the guy reached down to pet him. When he gets tired, he hits HARD! Nothing short of a crane can move him!

After a few hours at the park I took my kids home to rest. They were sleeping before we made it out of the driveway. When we got home Ben lumbered into the house and plopped down 3 feet in. I went about some “house chores” and he just laid there and slept. Al hung out with him, tired, but not as tired as he was. After about an hour I decided to take a nap too. I wanted to be plenty rested for fish fry later on.

I woke up about 1630 but was still waiting on plans to develop and see who I was going to go catch a meal with. I watched TV. Yes, I am extremely ambitious. I wanted to watch Chef Ramsey on Kitchen Nightmares. I LOVE that show! As I was watching one of my friends called to see what the dinner plans were. We made plans to go eat, but I wanted to check my messages and told him I would call him back. I checked my messages but it was nothing important and called him back, but he didn’t answer. I tried a few times, with it going directly to voice mail and then decided to go check on my laundry. While I was in the laundry room I heard the phone ring but didnt worry too much as I was going to be back upstairs in a second and I’d call back then.

When I call my friend back, he answers like I had come back from the dead. The relief was VERY evident! “OK.. Tell me the story!”, I say.

He says that he had called me back after he hadn’t heard back from me, and a man answered the phone.

He said, “Hello?”

The other guy said, “Hello?”

My buddy says “Hello?” again and the male answerer hangs up. He is a little puzzled, but then when I still don’t call, his brain starts working and before you know it, he’s sure I’m being assaulted… Thank God I didn’t take too long in the laundry room or I would have had the Local PD busting my door down!!! There’s nothing like knowing someone is driving over to your house to save your life by force to know that someone cares!!! LOL! I think its a great story and I write it here only so that I never forget it.

So finally, we get out to eat some fish. Thirty minutes after we are seated and have ordered, the server comes back to tell us that they’re out of fish. Are you kidding me??? We decided to eat elsewhere.

The second place was such a much better choice. The Clam Chowder was absolutely unbelievable!!!!! The fish and loaded baked potato were also to die for. Even when I had them again for breakfast this morning!

I ended up not going to the Shinedown concert. I just wasn’t feeling it. Plus, I didn’t want to pay the $30+ for the concert tickets. My buddy tried to win tickets for me… yes, a collective… awwwwwwww….. The tickets included a backstage pass before the concert. Damn it! I would have loved to win that one! Brent Smith is just sooo damn awesome. BUT, I had a great night regardless and I got to sleep hours before I would have had I gone to the concert and that made today alot easier!

I’ve got 30 minutes left in my 16 hour shift. My last report was that the pups were fine. I can’t wait to get home to them….

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Day Twenty

November 13, 2008 at 20:56 (Uncategorized)
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Twenty days the big boy has been with me. It’s hard to believe!

Yesterday while I was at work my friend Colleen stayed at my house and rested while she waited to go to class and the dogs were in heaven. All day she sat with them and they laid with her and enjoyed “people” time. They are good dogs!

This morning we went to the dog park because I had to work a long day today and thought they would benefit from some time running this morning. They ran and ran and ran and for the first morning in a week, we didn’t get rained on.

The rest of the day has been me sitting at work doing nothing. Fun….

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Day Fifteen

November 8, 2008 at 03:58 (Uncategorized)
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So the goon balls were playing today. The weather has turned cold and rainy for the last few days and so we’ve had only quick walks outside. Their energy got the best of them today. The first one is of Ben calmly watching Alley play with the toy that he had just been playing with. He is a gentleman.
Alley with Ben Watching

Alley with Ben Watching

Ben Taking it Away

Ben Taking it Away

Note Alley putting her paw in his face. Poor Guy!
Alley saying please play with me

Alley saying please play with me

Ben was tired but Alley still wanted to play so she was literally dragging the toy against his head to try and get him to play.
this toy never had a chance

this toy never had a chance

 Hopefully tomorrows weather will be better. Its been snowing most of the night tonight. Nothing sticking on the ground yet, but plenty cold…. brrrrr….

I have the next few days off of work!!! Yippeee!!! Not too many plans for tomorrow. Hopefully walking the pooches if it’s nice out. Perhaps a trip to the dog park or to a state trail.

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Day Eleven

November 4, 2008 at 01:46 (Uncategorized)
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So we went to the Dog Park today!!!! This is Ben’s third time to the park. He is a perfect gentleman when we are there. He’s “slimed” quite a few people but he is definitely a favorite among the regulars. They all know his name now and he’s starting to learn some of the regular dogs. He seems to really like the little dogs, but, he is always very calm, and nothing gives me a bigger kick when a dog, of any size, because they are all smaller than him, chases him and he tucks his butt and runs like a scared cat!!! He is a hoot!!!

ben31

Below. Ben heard a noise from the business that borders the park. He was wondering what was going on. Alley is oblivious or maybe she just doesn’t care. She runs point always and Ben follows up with me, usually heeling at my side. They are so much fun to walk with.

ben11

Below. Ben and Alley romping! She tries to get ahold of his neck and in the process she gets “slimed” SO bad!!! Her head today was literaly spittle from ear to ear and brow to the back of her neck. Ewww!

benalley1

Below. Look at those faces!!!! You have got to love those lips and ears!!!!!!

benalley2

As you can tell we had a good time. I’m glad i remembered the camera.

Not a whole lot going on in the rest of the world. Tomorrow is election day. That makes me a bit busier at work. I have this coming weekend off, plus Monday and Tuesday, so that should be nice.

Looking forward to seeing Twilight in three weeks and going to see Shinedown in two weeks.

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Day Nine

November 2, 2008 at 04:22 (Uncategorized)
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This morning I left the pups at home and went out for a motorcycle ride with a buddy of mine and some of his friends. We had a great time and I was thankful to enjoy some of the beautiful weather we are having this fall.

When I got home I took Alley and Ben to the dog park and they had a great time. Ben was soooo tired when we got home.

I had to work overnight tonight so I left the pups at home and hopefully they will sleep till morning.

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