Yesterday was a singular day. It did not fit the normal Saturday mold. The entire day was odd, but two experiences stand out.
For the last week I have had what felt like a splinter in my right foot. I wore super thin sandals when we went to the North Shore last week and I thought I hurt it while walking on the sharp rocks at Laie Point. Instead of getting better, it was getting more sore. I could feel something very fine and short when I passed my finger over the red spot on the bottom of my foot, but I couldn't see it. Yesterday I had Carl take a look at with his super magnifying glasses (Thanks Dad for giving him those. They are awesome for splinter extraction!). Sure enough, with those glasses he had it out in seconds. It was a hair. A Charlie hair. Unmistakeably, Charlie's blond hair with a brown tip.
I have no idea how that hair became embedded deep in the tissue of my foot. Maybe it was somehow a reminder of what happened with Charlie and how hard and painful it has been for me to let those emotions go. It was deep, and it hurt. Without help, the pain would have continued to increase. That's how life can be sometimes. What looks to be something small and harmless, can cause us deep pain that we can not solve on our own. Sometimes we need help, and even when those problems seem small, it is important to get the help we need.
It has been raining off and on here for the last week or so. It is the uniquely tropical sort of rain consisting of a fine, warm, mist falling while the sun shines. It's wonderful. Yesterday afternoon I ran out and from of the corner of my eye I saw a rainbow. As I turned my head, to take a good look, it took my breath away. It was the largest, brightest, unbroken rainbow I have ever seen that close. I wanted to take a photo, but it was so large that no camera I own could capture it. It stretched from Pearl City all the way across Pearl Harbor. At least that's how it appeared from my perspective. It was glorious and beautiful. Without rain in our lives, those breathtaking moments are not possible.
Showing posts with label dogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dogs. Show all posts
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Some Days Just Suck
There are days when what I think is not something I want to share. I've been told that my blog is only the "nice" side of me, not the real picture. I guess that's true. My momma taught me that if I can't say something nice, I shouldn't say anything at all. I suppose my blog is a good example of that. So, when I'm silent you can assume that I am either too busy, or I have nothing nice to say. Most of the time I'm just busy. I have ideas of things I want to write, but not the time to post them. The last few days, well, it's been the latter. This is not a nice story. Frankly, it sucks.
Writing is good therapy for me. It helps me sort out my thoughts. I type a line, then delete. Try it again another way, with slightly different words, backspace again, until the words match my thoughts. Sometimes once I get the words out I decide I don't feel that way anymore and I delete them for good. Sometimes the point I get too seems so pathetic, even to me, that I don't want to save it and ever remember feeling that way. More often, my writing and self editing bring me focus. (See, just there I started to write "more concise ...." which wasn't exactly it, so I backspaced to the point that it was right, and tried again. Now, maybe I should just go delete it all.) So, for today, for this post, I'm going to let down the guard, and let you in. I'm not feeling very nice things right now, and I need to write. I'm going to ramble on the way I normally would in private and post it here. Not to worry, it's just an experiment, next post I promise I will be back to my nice self. It might be a few days, or even longer, before I am up to writing something good for public consumption again. Maybe I will just post pretty pictures to quickly move this thing off the top of the page. I'm sure no one will want to read my rambling crap more than once, if that. Just for the sake of this experiment, please ignore any grammar errors. I'm going for honest tonight, not the "A+" with a gold star.
So, you all know that in the last year and a few months we went from no dogs to three dogs. Carl and I had a dog 18 years ago, but none since. So, we weren't 1st time dog owners, but pretty dang close to it. We were certainly out of practice at it all. It started in January with Chester, who was a puppy we got from friends who discovered they weren't 'dog people'. In March, after a string of robberiess in our carport and yard, we got Charlie to guard our house. He was offered on Craiglist inexpensively, and seemed the perfect fit. I really don't want to write about this - I feel sick to my stomach right now just thinking about it. Somehow I have to let it go, and I can't bare the thought of telling this story again, live and in person to another soul, so I supposed getting it all out here and now is a good idea, as much as I'd rather just go play scrabble and pretend everything is fine. It's not fine. My heart is broken and I feel terrible.
Yesterday I had to take him to the Humane Society and they put him to sleep. There, I said it. It's ugly isn't it? It just isn't right. It's one of those things that should never, ever, ever have to happen, but it did and it sucks and I feel like crap about it. When we adopted him, his previous owner said that he was getting rid of him because he had moved to a tiny studio in town and just couldn't keep him there. Charlie is a lab/pit bull mix and wasn't a huge dog, but certainly not a dog that could be happy living in a tiny condo. Anyway, he promised vet records, but never delivered. He had hives and other skin junk going on. We took him to the vet, got him well, and started living with our 2 dogs. (Shuggie, otherwise known as Little, showed up a few months later, starving and neglected.) He was so anxious. That's an understatement. He was riddled with anxiety and fear is probably more accurate. One neighbor made him especially crazy. Eventually he and the neighbor had an altercation, and the man was bit. It could have been a lot worse, but it was not good. There were other incidents, and the aggression was unpredictable. I read all of Cesar's books, and employed his methods. They seemed to help, but even then, there was no real rhyme or reason to the outbursts. I really hate admitting this. I don't like to fail. It feels like we failed Charlie. I would much rather tell a success story, or just keep my mouth shut. Anyway, we tried and tried, and I think Carl said it best, "That dog is just slightly unhinged." Last week we had house guests and he was not well behaved. Some of the things he did had me worried and he spent some serious time in the garage away from the guests because of it. The other night, Quincie and her friend were just heading out to walk all the dogs when Charlie saw our neighbor (not the same neighbor that he bit, this was someone else. The neighbor that made him go nuts was at our old house.)and his boxer puppy walking down the block. The other dog was with his owner, on a leash. Charlie went crazy, pulled away from Quincie and went on the attack. The man was understandably angry, yelled at her, and took his dog home. Later that night I went over and spoke with him. He is a nice guy. We are very lucky.
I guess you could say that was the last straw. We had to do something. Everyday we were taking a chance that he would hurt someone seriously, and that would be terrible, so irresponsible, especially when we knew, we knew he was unhinged and very strong and just not predictable. While evaluating him, worker at the humane society discovered that he had a micro chip. That micro chip had his original owners name and phone number on it. At that point, that person was considered his legal owner, and would have final say on his fate. They spoke to her, and the end was determined. Apparently we were not his 2nd owners, but at least the 3rd. He had a history of similar problems in his short 2 and half years of life. I can't go through all the details of the story from here. My mind just won't let me. The conversations that led to the ultimate decision, the prayers, the pleas, the ideas that were considered and rejected, all of that, is just too agonizing to hash over. I have to let it go or it will consume me. I can say this, and hopefully sum it all up, and you can get a glimpse of the pain from a far enough distance that it doesn't rub off on you: Sometimes, doing the right thing feels so terribly, horribly wrong, that you second guess your decision every fragment of each moment all along the way. Sometimes what you have to do goes against every natural fiber of who you are. Sometimes your heart breaks and sometimes you need something, or someone, outside of yourself to hold you up, and help you go on. Some days just suck. I'm so grateful that Ryker was there with me. As much as I wish I could have spared him that pain, rather than shared it with him, I am grateful that I was not alone. He is a very special person, and I am so privileged to be his mother. As a mother, as a friend, as just me, I would like to shield everyone from the ugliness of the world, and take it all on myself if it would keep it off those I love.
I suppose that's why my blog is usually just "nice". The world is full of days like yesterday for all of us. I don't even want to HAVE days like yesterday, and I certainly don't want to SHARE them with others and spread the unhappiness. I'm not even sure I'm going to share what I have written tonight. If you see it now, and it is gone later, you will know I took it down. It doesn't seem fair to pass on all this sadness. Some may say, "Come on Wendy, he was just a dog." But to me, a life is a life and love is love, and damn it, I love Charlie and his life was sacred. I feel terrible that he trusted me and I led him to his death. I do take comfort knowing that we gave him a happy home for a year, and that we really did love him and tried our best to help him. The employees working there yesterday are special people. They were kind, supportive, helpful and went beyond professional courtesy. I am grateful for their goodness and that Charlie's last moments were not in a scary negative place.
It's been a sad couple of days in our house. If we are not ourselves, now you know why. We are sad. We had to do a hard, hard, hard thing. We miss our dog.
Writing is good therapy for me. It helps me sort out my thoughts. I type a line, then delete. Try it again another way, with slightly different words, backspace again, until the words match my thoughts. Sometimes once I get the words out I decide I don't feel that way anymore and I delete them for good. Sometimes the point I get too seems so pathetic, even to me, that I don't want to save it and ever remember feeling that way. More often, my writing and self editing bring me focus. (See, just there I started to write "more concise ...." which wasn't exactly it, so I backspaced to the point that it was right, and tried again. Now, maybe I should just go delete it all.) So, for today, for this post, I'm going to let down the guard, and let you in. I'm not feeling very nice things right now, and I need to write. I'm going to ramble on the way I normally would in private and post it here. Not to worry, it's just an experiment, next post I promise I will be back to my nice self. It might be a few days, or even longer, before I am up to writing something good for public consumption again. Maybe I will just post pretty pictures to quickly move this thing off the top of the page. I'm sure no one will want to read my rambling crap more than once, if that. Just for the sake of this experiment, please ignore any grammar errors. I'm going for honest tonight, not the "A+" with a gold star.
So, you all know that in the last year and a few months we went from no dogs to three dogs. Carl and I had a dog 18 years ago, but none since. So, we weren't 1st time dog owners, but pretty dang close to it. We were certainly out of practice at it all. It started in January with Chester, who was a puppy we got from friends who discovered they weren't 'dog people'. In March, after a string of robberiess in our carport and yard, we got Charlie to guard our house. He was offered on Craiglist inexpensively, and seemed the perfect fit. I really don't want to write about this - I feel sick to my stomach right now just thinking about it. Somehow I have to let it go, and I can't bare the thought of telling this story again, live and in person to another soul, so I supposed getting it all out here and now is a good idea, as much as I'd rather just go play scrabble and pretend everything is fine. It's not fine. My heart is broken and I feel terrible.
Yesterday I had to take him to the Humane Society and they put him to sleep. There, I said it. It's ugly isn't it? It just isn't right. It's one of those things that should never, ever, ever have to happen, but it did and it sucks and I feel like crap about it. When we adopted him, his previous owner said that he was getting rid of him because he had moved to a tiny studio in town and just couldn't keep him there. Charlie is a lab/pit bull mix and wasn't a huge dog, but certainly not a dog that could be happy living in a tiny condo. Anyway, he promised vet records, but never delivered. He had hives and other skin junk going on. We took him to the vet, got him well, and started living with our 2 dogs. (Shuggie, otherwise known as Little, showed up a few months later, starving and neglected.) He was so anxious. That's an understatement. He was riddled with anxiety and fear is probably more accurate. One neighbor made him especially crazy. Eventually he and the neighbor had an altercation, and the man was bit. It could have been a lot worse, but it was not good. There were other incidents, and the aggression was unpredictable. I read all of Cesar's books, and employed his methods. They seemed to help, but even then, there was no real rhyme or reason to the outbursts. I really hate admitting this. I don't like to fail. It feels like we failed Charlie. I would much rather tell a success story, or just keep my mouth shut. Anyway, we tried and tried, and I think Carl said it best, "That dog is just slightly unhinged." Last week we had house guests and he was not well behaved. Some of the things he did had me worried and he spent some serious time in the garage away from the guests because of it. The other night, Quincie and her friend were just heading out to walk all the dogs when Charlie saw our neighbor (not the same neighbor that he bit, this was someone else. The neighbor that made him go nuts was at our old house.)and his boxer puppy walking down the block. The other dog was with his owner, on a leash. Charlie went crazy, pulled away from Quincie and went on the attack. The man was understandably angry, yelled at her, and took his dog home. Later that night I went over and spoke with him. He is a nice guy. We are very lucky.
I guess you could say that was the last straw. We had to do something. Everyday we were taking a chance that he would hurt someone seriously, and that would be terrible, so irresponsible, especially when we knew, we knew he was unhinged and very strong and just not predictable. While evaluating him, worker at the humane society discovered that he had a micro chip. That micro chip had his original owners name and phone number on it. At that point, that person was considered his legal owner, and would have final say on his fate. They spoke to her, and the end was determined. Apparently we were not his 2nd owners, but at least the 3rd. He had a history of similar problems in his short 2 and half years of life. I can't go through all the details of the story from here. My mind just won't let me. The conversations that led to the ultimate decision, the prayers, the pleas, the ideas that were considered and rejected, all of that, is just too agonizing to hash over. I have to let it go or it will consume me. I can say this, and hopefully sum it all up, and you can get a glimpse of the pain from a far enough distance that it doesn't rub off on you: Sometimes, doing the right thing feels so terribly, horribly wrong, that you second guess your decision every fragment of each moment all along the way. Sometimes what you have to do goes against every natural fiber of who you are. Sometimes your heart breaks and sometimes you need something, or someone, outside of yourself to hold you up, and help you go on. Some days just suck. I'm so grateful that Ryker was there with me. As much as I wish I could have spared him that pain, rather than shared it with him, I am grateful that I was not alone. He is a very special person, and I am so privileged to be his mother. As a mother, as a friend, as just me, I would like to shield everyone from the ugliness of the world, and take it all on myself if it would keep it off those I love.
I suppose that's why my blog is usually just "nice". The world is full of days like yesterday for all of us. I don't even want to HAVE days like yesterday, and I certainly don't want to SHARE them with others and spread the unhappiness. I'm not even sure I'm going to share what I have written tonight. If you see it now, and it is gone later, you will know I took it down. It doesn't seem fair to pass on all this sadness. Some may say, "Come on Wendy, he was just a dog." But to me, a life is a life and love is love, and damn it, I love Charlie and his life was sacred. I feel terrible that he trusted me and I led him to his death. I do take comfort knowing that we gave him a happy home for a year, and that we really did love him and tried our best to help him. The employees working there yesterday are special people. They were kind, supportive, helpful and went beyond professional courtesy. I am grateful for their goodness and that Charlie's last moments were not in a scary negative place.
It's been a sad couple of days in our house. If we are not ourselves, now you know why. We are sad. We had to do a hard, hard, hard thing. We miss our dog.
Friday, March 5, 2010
It's a Whole New World
I love my new house! It has a dishwasher!! Woo Hoo!! I know Quincie shares my enthusiasm for this magical device. Doing dishes by hand in a shallow, single sink with a crappy plastic tub for the last few years taught me a great lesson - dishwashers rock!! There is nothing like a load of steaming hot dishes that you KNOW are actually CLEAN! The rest of the new kitchen is awesome as well - tons of cabinets and counter space and a nice new fridge!
I took a bath for the first time in years the other day. I can't decide which is more exciting, the bathtubs or the dishwasher. That's right, I said bathtubS, with an S. There are 2 bathrooms in this house, which is pretty dang wonderful. The four of us have been sharing one closet sized bathroom with a shower stall the size of a coffin. Someone was always in that shower when you had to pee. Conversely, taking a complete shower without a desperate knock on the door was rare. I would post a photo of it here, but I didn't take any. It wasn't a pretty picture.
There are many more great and wonderful things about this new house, but those are the highlights.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
All I want for Christmas ....
A couple of weeks ago Shuggie, our little female dog, went into heat. As a dog owner, this is probably the top of the list of annoying and unpleasant things you have to deal with. The whole dog menstrual cycle thing is just gross - eww, ick, yuck, nasty and disgusting. A dog's sense of personal hygiene does not meet my standards.
To compound the problem, our other 2 dogs are male. Charlie came to us neutered, and Chester did not. Somewhere around the 2nd week into dog hormone hell, the boys started to go really nuts. Chester was especially afflicted. He was really suffering. All I wanted for Christmas was 2 fixed dogs!
So, last week I took them both to the vet and scheduled them to be surgically neutered asap. Surgery was yesterday. No one is acting crazy anymore. The suffering is of a different sort today. They both did really well, and neither act like they are traumatized. Today it is obvious that they are both a bit sore. I was needlessly worried about the reaction of missing their morning walk. Neither one wants to walk any further than is absolutely necessary.
So, for now I am nurse to a couple of recovering dogs. I have to keep them from licking and scratching their incisions, and in general keep them calm. If she doesn't stop messing with it, I will have to go get her a cone. As long as Charlie stays outside, things are pretty calm. Only a week to go, then things should be better than normal. Dogs without the mess and drive of reproductive organs are a good, good thing.
To compound the problem, our other 2 dogs are male. Charlie came to us neutered, and Chester did not. Somewhere around the 2nd week into dog hormone hell, the boys started to go really nuts. Chester was especially afflicted. He was really suffering. All I wanted for Christmas was 2 fixed dogs!
So, last week I took them both to the vet and scheduled them to be surgically neutered asap. Surgery was yesterday. No one is acting crazy anymore. The suffering is of a different sort today. They both did really well, and neither act like they are traumatized. Today it is obvious that they are both a bit sore. I was needlessly worried about the reaction of missing their morning walk. Neither one wants to walk any further than is absolutely necessary.
So, for now I am nurse to a couple of recovering dogs. I have to keep them from licking and scratching their incisions, and in general keep them calm. If she doesn't stop messing with it, I will have to go get her a cone. As long as Charlie stays outside, things are pretty calm. Only a week to go, then things should be better than normal. Dogs without the mess and drive of reproductive organs are a good, good thing.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
21 Days to Create a Habit
As you know from my previous posts, I was attempting to run on my own with my dogs. I had a mixed bag of success and difficulties. My knees hurt, my breathing was whack, I bought new shoes, worked out the breathing, and bought a new leash that helped the dogs not get so tangled when I took 2 at once. My usual route covered 4 miles (2 out, 2 back), and I would run about half of it. Typically I would go around 6pm, and be home just before it started to get dark. I wasn't going everyday, too much of life is still happening at 6pm, and it is just not a good idea to be out on foot in my neighborhood after dark. There are no sidewalks, and cars go too fast for the narrow streets.
Three weeks ago my friend Cathy and I started walking in the mornings. I drop Quincie off at Seminary at 5:55am, go grab the dogs, and head out. I run from my house to our meeting point, and then we walk for a couple of miles and back to her house. After a brief, or sometimes not so brief, rest on her front porch, the dogs and I run home. The whole affair usually takes about an hour to an hour and a half, depending mostly on the length of the rest.
We walk every weekday, taking Saturday and Sunday off. This past friday was the end of our third week. The kids have been off school for Fall break, but we still walked at our regular time.
This routine is working well for me. I have not re-injured my knees. We walk fast, and for the first few days I had sore muscles where I wasn't sure I even had muscles. The combination of running and walking is good. I get my heart rate up and keep it up for the better part of an hour. The intensity of the workout varies over the course of that hour, and that is supposed to be positive for the heart as well.
Normally at that time of day I would either have come home and gone back to sleep, or would be sitting at my computer attempting to get a jump start on the day. I never have a conflict on my calendar at that hour. It is the coolest time of day to be outside. It is much warmer at 6pm than at 6am. Lately, it has been dark when I leave my house. I think it is pretty cool to watch the sunrise every morning.
Exercise, sunshine, and good conversation is an excellent way to start the day. It gives me energy, and enthusiasm that an extra hour of sleep just wouldn't. Trying to squeeze an extra early hour of work in just makes me tired an hour earlier. Getting outside, and on my feet with the dogs and my good friend, has been great! I actually go to bed at night looking forward to waking up and going on our walk.
I haven't lost any weight, but that was not my intention. My endurance has increased. The new dog, Shuggie, (I have agreed to call her this name in exchange for a car. I personally think I am coming out the winner in this one.) likes to bolt. If there is a crack in the door, out she goes. She is off like a bullet down the street. The other day I chased her at full sprint, for about 2 miles. I didn't get out of breath, my knees didn't give out, and I eventually caught the dumb little thing and carried her home. A couple of months ago, I am not sure I could have done that.
Consistent, daily exercise has calmed Charlie down significantly. Chester could run for miles and miles. He is up before my alarm and ready to go every morning. Neither of them understand that I take weekends off. They were up at 5:30am today crying. I was awake, but not crying. Experts say it take 21 days to create a habit. I think in this case, it just might be true. I am looking forward to walking again tomorrow.
Three weeks ago my friend Cathy and I started walking in the mornings. I drop Quincie off at Seminary at 5:55am, go grab the dogs, and head out. I run from my house to our meeting point, and then we walk for a couple of miles and back to her house. After a brief, or sometimes not so brief, rest on her front porch, the dogs and I run home. The whole affair usually takes about an hour to an hour and a half, depending mostly on the length of the rest.
We walk every weekday, taking Saturday and Sunday off. This past friday was the end of our third week. The kids have been off school for Fall break, but we still walked at our regular time.
This routine is working well for me. I have not re-injured my knees. We walk fast, and for the first few days I had sore muscles where I wasn't sure I even had muscles. The combination of running and walking is good. I get my heart rate up and keep it up for the better part of an hour. The intensity of the workout varies over the course of that hour, and that is supposed to be positive for the heart as well.
Normally at that time of day I would either have come home and gone back to sleep, or would be sitting at my computer attempting to get a jump start on the day. I never have a conflict on my calendar at that hour. It is the coolest time of day to be outside. It is much warmer at 6pm than at 6am. Lately, it has been dark when I leave my house. I think it is pretty cool to watch the sunrise every morning.
Exercise, sunshine, and good conversation is an excellent way to start the day. It gives me energy, and enthusiasm that an extra hour of sleep just wouldn't. Trying to squeeze an extra early hour of work in just makes me tired an hour earlier. Getting outside, and on my feet with the dogs and my good friend, has been great! I actually go to bed at night looking forward to waking up and going on our walk.
I haven't lost any weight, but that was not my intention. My endurance has increased. The new dog, Shuggie, (I have agreed to call her this name in exchange for a car. I personally think I am coming out the winner in this one.) likes to bolt. If there is a crack in the door, out she goes. She is off like a bullet down the street. The other day I chased her at full sprint, for about 2 miles. I didn't get out of breath, my knees didn't give out, and I eventually caught the dumb little thing and carried her home. A couple of months ago, I am not sure I could have done that.
Consistent, daily exercise has calmed Charlie down significantly. Chester could run for miles and miles. He is up before my alarm and ready to go every morning. Neither of them understand that I take weekends off. They were up at 5:30am today crying. I was awake, but not crying. Experts say it take 21 days to create a habit. I think in this case, it just might be true. I am looking forward to walking again tomorrow.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Honey
I was on the phone with Carl taking the inspection notes,and thought he must be nuts to bring home a third dog. Heavens, two is quite enough! He whispered that he would explain later. As soon as they were in the truck, Carl began to explain. She was on a heavy chain, that was tangled up leaving her about 2 feet of length. She had no food or water. Before he could start the engine, she had found half a danish and gulped it down.
Honey now lives the life of a pampered princess. She sleeps on our bed, curled up next to her rescuer. She has gained some weight in the last week, but you can still feel every rib under her shiny black fur. She was so thin it made me want to cry when I first held her. It makes me sad to think how some people treat innocent animals.
Chester thinks Carl brought her home just for him. They play and play and play. When she got outside without a leash, Chester came to get me. She put Charlie in his place a couple of times, and now he just leaves her alone. We now have a "pack" of dogs with a tiny cute thing in the lead.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Frustration
My dogs have drug me into running with them. I really enjoy going for a good walk in the evening and watching the sunset. Chester and Charlie would rather run than walk, so I have started running with them. I like the adrenalin burn, and the idea of getting more of a work out. What I don't enjoy is the burning in my chest as a gasp for breath and the searing pain in my knees.
I was walking the dogs in my slippers - not the best idea. No wonder my knees hurt. After a trip to Sports Authority, where I spent more on a pair of running shoes than I have ever spent on any single pair of shoes, of any sort, I was set. The shoes make a huge difference. I would not have believed it, but it is true. If they looked better I would wear them all the time. They really are comfortable. They did not, however, make any difference what so ever in my lungs.
After Googling "breathing" I was totally confused. I couldn't even take a good breath while sitting in my chair. The more I thought about it, the more I couldn't do it. I really couldn't do it when I was trying to run. It seems stupid to say that I couldn't breathe. How could I not breathe? I have been breathing since the day I was born haven't i? I talked to a friend that is an avid runner, and they helped me with a very simple method. So, now my lungs don't hurt and I can actually breathe effectively.
About 10 days ago I was out in my new shoes, with the dogs, and feeling full of confidence in my new breathing ability. What skill! Anyway, I decided to really sprint with the dogs - let them set the pace for the last several blocks toward home. I can not run as fast as my dogs. Even if Godzilla were chasing me, I could not run as fast as these 2 dogs. I did my best, but I screwed up my knees. They hurt like crazy by the next morning and were so stiff I had a hard time unfolding them to stand up. I felt like a broken barbie doll - snapped at the knees.
About this same time I started fighting a virus of some sort. I have been tired, but with sheer determination, I have conquered the day, and not been sick. In an effort to let my old bones heal, and conserve my energy for fighting off the virus, I have not been out running, or walking, with the dogs. I also started taking some Glucosamine Condroitn stuff for joints. I figure it can't hurt, and these old knees need all the help they can get. I am not sure how much cartiledge is even left in there.
Anyway, I have been a slug, sitting around the house and not getting any exercise or sun. Today I just couldn't take it anymore. I was so frustrated with this crazy spreadsheet I was fighting with that I wanted to scream. Instead of screaming, I went out with the dogs. It felt good, but it was hard. I can't believe that one week of sitting on my butt could get me that out of shape. Maybe I was more sick than I thought I was? I don't know, but it wore me out, big time. I ran some, but not too much, I stopped as soon as my knees started to hurt. I don't want to re-injure them. I don't want to give up. I really need the exercise and sun on a regular basis. It is so frustrating that my body doesn't do what I want it to.
I was walking the dogs in my slippers - not the best idea. No wonder my knees hurt. After a trip to Sports Authority, where I spent more on a pair of running shoes than I have ever spent on any single pair of shoes, of any sort, I was set. The shoes make a huge difference. I would not have believed it, but it is true. If they looked better I would wear them all the time. They really are comfortable. They did not, however, make any difference what so ever in my lungs.
After Googling "breathing" I was totally confused. I couldn't even take a good breath while sitting in my chair. The more I thought about it, the more I couldn't do it. I really couldn't do it when I was trying to run. It seems stupid to say that I couldn't breathe. How could I not breathe? I have been breathing since the day I was born haven't i? I talked to a friend that is an avid runner, and they helped me with a very simple method. So, now my lungs don't hurt and I can actually breathe effectively.
About 10 days ago I was out in my new shoes, with the dogs, and feeling full of confidence in my new breathing ability. What skill! Anyway, I decided to really sprint with the dogs - let them set the pace for the last several blocks toward home. I can not run as fast as my dogs. Even if Godzilla were chasing me, I could not run as fast as these 2 dogs. I did my best, but I screwed up my knees. They hurt like crazy by the next morning and were so stiff I had a hard time unfolding them to stand up. I felt like a broken barbie doll - snapped at the knees.
About this same time I started fighting a virus of some sort. I have been tired, but with sheer determination, I have conquered the day, and not been sick. In an effort to let my old bones heal, and conserve my energy for fighting off the virus, I have not been out running, or walking, with the dogs. I also started taking some Glucosamine Condroitn stuff for joints. I figure it can't hurt, and these old knees need all the help they can get. I am not sure how much cartiledge is even left in there.
Anyway, I have been a slug, sitting around the house and not getting any exercise or sun. Today I just couldn't take it anymore. I was so frustrated with this crazy spreadsheet I was fighting with that I wanted to scream. Instead of screaming, I went out with the dogs. It felt good, but it was hard. I can't believe that one week of sitting on my butt could get me that out of shape. Maybe I was more sick than I thought I was? I don't know, but it wore me out, big time. I ran some, but not too much, I stopped as soon as my knees started to hurt. I don't want to re-injure them. I don't want to give up. I really need the exercise and sun on a regular basis. It is so frustrating that my body doesn't do what I want it to.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Hurricanes, Tropical Storms, and a Prissy Dog
For days now we have been tracking Felicia. Somewhere out in the Pacific it was a once a hurricane, and was once headed pretty much right for us. People get a little freaked out about hurricanes, but since they don't actually hit too often, the freak out is minor. Costco was a little busier than usual selling cases of water and the occasional generator. If there is a weather related emergency, our power is likely to go out. It doesn't really matter what form that emergency takes, the power just goes out. When we had the earth quake a couple years ago there was almost no damage to the island of Oahu, yet the power was out. In January the power went out when some lightening hit some transformer or something. Losing power is more than just losing your TV or your fridge. Unless you have an iphone, or a BB, you can even lose INTERNET!!! Oh no!
Actually, it is pretty crazy when the entire island is without power. For one, you can't fill your gas tank. The pumps don't work with out electricity. Even if the pumps did, how many people have enough cash on them to fill a tank? No electricity = no atm machines, or paying with your debit/credit card. It is warm here, so once the power goes you you don't want to open the freezer or the fridge. Hopefully the power comes back on before the entire contents go bad. So, if the power were to go out on a typical day for me, I would have about a 1/8th of a tank of gas, less than 10 bucks in my wallet, and a fridge full of food I can't eat. I usually have some drinking water and pantry food that would last a few days or so. In January I stocked up on flashlights, batteries and some candles. So, we are all good for drinking water and looking at stuff in the dark.
The cell phones would probably work, unless the storm takes out the satellite, then who knows. My GPS was having a very hard time today maintaining connection with the satellite. My theory is Felicia. Cell phone batteries don't last forever, especially if you are watching movies or playing games. The car charger will work, until you run out of gas ....
Felicia, now down graded to a tropical storm, was supposed to hit on Monday. Sunday, the class of 10 year olds I teach already had their day off school all planned. We don't get snow days here, we get hurricane, or storm, or flooding days instead. Same concept, different form of precipitation. We could start calling them precipitation days and then everyone would be able to use the same word, or maybe not ...
The air has been heavy, hot and sticky. If we had gills breathing might be easier. Light rain started Tuesday night. Following the normal bedtime routine Ryker takes Chester outside one last time before bed. He refused to go out. The crazy pooch does not like to get his precious little paw paws wet. So, he went to bed with a full bladder. At 6am, he came running for me to put him outside. About 5 feet from the door he noticed the rain and came to a screeching halt. Again, he refused to go outside. I put him on the leash and shoved him out the door. He promptly went back to sleep on the porch.
At 7:30am, as I am taking Q to school, we tried to get him to go out yet again. We drug him out, and he ran back. We forced him to the grass, and he ran as soon as we let go. Here's a good one for your fortune cookie - You can drag a dog outside, but you can't make him pee.
At 11am, Carl and Ryker leave for work and put him outside. It has now been more than 12 hours and he still has not peed. He has GOT to be uncomfortable! When I came home at 12:30pm he was still sitting on the porch and refusing to set foot on the wet grass. Chester is one stubborn, prissy dog!
When Quincie came home from school we came up with an idea to get that dog to relieve himself. He gets very excited about going on a walk, and the site of his leash usually brings him running. She put him on his walking leash and took him for a turn about the yard. He resisted going out, and going down the stairs, and had to be drug. With Q's typical calm patience and persistence, she got him down the drive way. She walked him past a tree, and he just couldn't help it, he had to and pee on it.
The air is wet. My glasses fogged right up when I got out of my air conditioned car. Carl's home inspection photos from today show fences and gates through a thick fog. Fog at 80 degrees is an odd phenomenon, not at all what I am used to. Pouring rain at 80 degrees is also a little odd. If you put on a rain jacket you just might steam yourself.
Somewhere around 8pm tonight the real rain started. The wind is mild, so I wouldn't call it much of a storm. All this rain is great for the yard. I shut off the sprinklers after getting an outrageous water bill a few months ago and it shows. The grass is dead, along with just about everything else. The native plants are still doing great, like the plumeria trees, and the jungle plants. The imports don't thrive here without some extra water. Bring on the rain - I'm tired of looking at a brown yard!
A friend told me you can buy rain shoes for your dog. I wonder if that would make a difference to Chester? Would he equate shoes on his feet with dryness and get over his rain phobia? That seems like an awful lot of reasoning for a dog. Who makes dog shoes anyway? And how do you size them? Do they tie or maybe they are velcro, strange ... Knowing him, he would just chew up the shoes, and still refuse to go out in the rain.
For any of you on the mainland who were wondering how were were doing out here in the middle of the Pacific, with a hurricane headed our way, there you have it. We are safe and sound, albeit slightly damp and a little irritated with the prissy dog.
Actually, it is pretty crazy when the entire island is without power. For one, you can't fill your gas tank. The pumps don't work with out electricity. Even if the pumps did, how many people have enough cash on them to fill a tank? No electricity = no atm machines, or paying with your debit/credit card. It is warm here, so once the power goes you you don't want to open the freezer or the fridge. Hopefully the power comes back on before the entire contents go bad. So, if the power were to go out on a typical day for me, I would have about a 1/8th of a tank of gas, less than 10 bucks in my wallet, and a fridge full of food I can't eat. I usually have some drinking water and pantry food that would last a few days or so. In January I stocked up on flashlights, batteries and some candles. So, we are all good for drinking water and looking at stuff in the dark.
The cell phones would probably work, unless the storm takes out the satellite, then who knows. My GPS was having a very hard time today maintaining connection with the satellite. My theory is Felicia. Cell phone batteries don't last forever, especially if you are watching movies or playing games. The car charger will work, until you run out of gas ....
Felicia, now down graded to a tropical storm, was supposed to hit on Monday. Sunday, the class of 10 year olds I teach already had their day off school all planned. We don't get snow days here, we get hurricane, or storm, or flooding days instead. Same concept, different form of precipitation. We could start calling them precipitation days and then everyone would be able to use the same word, or maybe not ...
The air has been heavy, hot and sticky. If we had gills breathing might be easier. Light rain started Tuesday night. Following the normal bedtime routine Ryker takes Chester outside one last time before bed. He refused to go out. The crazy pooch does not like to get his precious little paw paws wet. So, he went to bed with a full bladder. At 6am, he came running for me to put him outside. About 5 feet from the door he noticed the rain and came to a screeching halt. Again, he refused to go outside. I put him on the leash and shoved him out the door. He promptly went back to sleep on the porch.
At 7:30am, as I am taking Q to school, we tried to get him to go out yet again. We drug him out, and he ran back. We forced him to the grass, and he ran as soon as we let go. Here's a good one for your fortune cookie - You can drag a dog outside, but you can't make him pee.
At 11am, Carl and Ryker leave for work and put him outside. It has now been more than 12 hours and he still has not peed. He has GOT to be uncomfortable! When I came home at 12:30pm he was still sitting on the porch and refusing to set foot on the wet grass. Chester is one stubborn, prissy dog!
When Quincie came home from school we came up with an idea to get that dog to relieve himself. He gets very excited about going on a walk, and the site of his leash usually brings him running. She put him on his walking leash and took him for a turn about the yard. He resisted going out, and going down the stairs, and had to be drug. With Q's typical calm patience and persistence, she got him down the drive way. She walked him past a tree, and he just couldn't help it, he had to and pee on it.
The air is wet. My glasses fogged right up when I got out of my air conditioned car. Carl's home inspection photos from today show fences and gates through a thick fog. Fog at 80 degrees is an odd phenomenon, not at all what I am used to. Pouring rain at 80 degrees is also a little odd. If you put on a rain jacket you just might steam yourself.
Somewhere around 8pm tonight the real rain started. The wind is mild, so I wouldn't call it much of a storm. All this rain is great for the yard. I shut off the sprinklers after getting an outrageous water bill a few months ago and it shows. The grass is dead, along with just about everything else. The native plants are still doing great, like the plumeria trees, and the jungle plants. The imports don't thrive here without some extra water. Bring on the rain - I'm tired of looking at a brown yard!
A friend told me you can buy rain shoes for your dog. I wonder if that would make a difference to Chester? Would he equate shoes on his feet with dryness and get over his rain phobia? That seems like an awful lot of reasoning for a dog. Who makes dog shoes anyway? And how do you size them? Do they tie or maybe they are velcro, strange ... Knowing him, he would just chew up the shoes, and still refuse to go out in the rain.
For any of you on the mainland who were wondering how were were doing out here in the middle of the Pacific, with a hurricane headed our way, there you have it. We are safe and sound, albeit slightly damp and a little irritated with the prissy dog.
Friday, May 15, 2009
If Wendy Starts to Vacuum
I just had an, "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie", afternoon. If you've never read this cute children's story you should.
Here is the Wendy version of the story -
After vacuuming the floor, I need to empty it. The kitchen trash can was full, of course, so I pulled out the bag, dumped the vacuum cannister contents, and headed out the door. While walking to the trash can, I notice Charlie has flies bothering him, so I spray him with some bug repellent. Charlie hates the bug repellent and tries to rub it off on his carpet. I notice the carpet is dirty and so I start to sweep it. While sweeping the carpet I notice the entire carport is dirty. I decide that the hose is the tool for this job. While walking through the yard to fetch the hose, the flies seem to be coming from the area in the yard Charlie uses as a bathroom. All the piles were picked up earlier, but it still smells bad over there. I get the hose and start spraying down the stink. While standing there with the hose I decide to go ahead and water the rest of the grass on that side of the house. I gradually find myself in the back of the house spraying off the trampoline. Charlie barks, and I remember the carport so I head back to spray it down. Spraying down the steps to the door I look up and notice the exterior of the house is dirty. I spray it off. All the dirty water lands on my washing machine and dryer. Luckily I have it covered with a clear plastic shower curtain. So, I take off the shower curtain, and put it in the washing machine. Not wanting to wash it alone, I throw in a few other items. Ok, back to the carport. It is now wet, and muddy. I pick up the broom again and begin to sweep. I sweep all the gook into the yard and put the broom away. I really need to rake up the big stuff from the carport that is now in the yard. The rake is usually right next to the broom, but is missing. I commence looking for my missing rake. All the while Charlie is looking for a dry place to lie down, but at least the flies are gone. It occurs to me to look in the shed for the rake. I need the key to shed, so I go in the kitchen to get it. There I see the trash can, without a bag, and the vacuum waiting to be put away, and remember what started this crazy afternoon. I found the rake in the shed, but decided to leave it there, and go back to the kitchen and finish what I started. The raking can wait for another day.
I am sure there needs to be a paragraph break or two in that narative, but I if you read it straight through, without a pause, you will have a better feeling of how the experience went for me.
I just looked at my feet. They are pretty dirty from all that playing in the water. I am going to go take a shower. Wonder what adventures await in there ...
Here is the Wendy version of the story -
After vacuuming the floor, I need to empty it. The kitchen trash can was full, of course, so I pulled out the bag, dumped the vacuum cannister contents, and headed out the door. While walking to the trash can, I notice Charlie has flies bothering him, so I spray him with some bug repellent. Charlie hates the bug repellent and tries to rub it off on his carpet. I notice the carpet is dirty and so I start to sweep it. While sweeping the carpet I notice the entire carport is dirty. I decide that the hose is the tool for this job. While walking through the yard to fetch the hose, the flies seem to be coming from the area in the yard Charlie uses as a bathroom. All the piles were picked up earlier, but it still smells bad over there. I get the hose and start spraying down the stink. While standing there with the hose I decide to go ahead and water the rest of the grass on that side of the house. I gradually find myself in the back of the house spraying off the trampoline. Charlie barks, and I remember the carport so I head back to spray it down. Spraying down the steps to the door I look up and notice the exterior of the house is dirty. I spray it off. All the dirty water lands on my washing machine and dryer. Luckily I have it covered with a clear plastic shower curtain. So, I take off the shower curtain, and put it in the washing machine. Not wanting to wash it alone, I throw in a few other items. Ok, back to the carport. It is now wet, and muddy. I pick up the broom again and begin to sweep. I sweep all the gook into the yard and put the broom away. I really need to rake up the big stuff from the carport that is now in the yard. The rake is usually right next to the broom, but is missing. I commence looking for my missing rake. All the while Charlie is looking for a dry place to lie down, but at least the flies are gone. It occurs to me to look in the shed for the rake. I need the key to shed, so I go in the kitchen to get it. There I see the trash can, without a bag, and the vacuum waiting to be put away, and remember what started this crazy afternoon. I found the rake in the shed, but decided to leave it there, and go back to the kitchen and finish what I started. The raking can wait for another day.
I am sure there needs to be a paragraph break or two in that narative, but I if you read it straight through, without a pause, you will have a better feeling of how the experience went for me.
I just looked at my feet. They are pretty dirty from all that playing in the water. I am going to go take a shower. Wonder what adventures await in there ...
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Dogs + Beach = True Love
One afternoon Carl says, "Come on, let's take the dogs to the beach." The kids and the dogs jumped in the back of the truck, and off we went, to the beach park about 5 minutes from our house.
Chester does not travel well. He gets motion sickness, even in the back of a truck. This trip was no exception, he threw up. Crazy, a dog that can't go for a 5 min ride without losing his lunch. I sure hope he out grows it.
Once we got to the beach they were in heaven! Charlie is well acquainted with the ocean, but not Chester. Chester was so funny. He kept rolling in the sand. Once he was wet from the ocean he tried to roll in the sand to dry off. He looked like a piece of fried chicken, drenched, dredged, and ready to cook. He's such a lovable little dork.
This photo is of Charlie out in the water. He is amazing! Carl threw a tennis ball out into the water and he took off like a shot. He dove in and didn't slow down a bit. He swims almost as fast as he runs. It doesn't matter how far you throw the ball, he swims out there and gets it, over and over and over again. Sometimes he rides a wave back in. A body surfing dog is awesome! I will try to catch some photos of that next time we go.
When Charlie isn't swimming to get the ball, he is trying to bury it in the sand. He digs and digs, throwing sand everywhere between his back legs. In his crazy frantic digging the ball gets flung out of the hole, causing him to go chasing after it. It's very fun to watch.
Aren't those clouds amazing? It is almost sunset so they have taken on a pink glow.
Life doesn't get any better than this.
Chester does not travel well. He gets motion sickness, even in the back of a truck. This trip was no exception, he threw up. Crazy, a dog that can't go for a 5 min ride without losing his lunch. I sure hope he out grows it.
Once we got to the beach they were in heaven! Charlie is well acquainted with the ocean, but not Chester. Chester was so funny. He kept rolling in the sand. Once he was wet from the ocean he tried to roll in the sand to dry off. He looked like a piece of fried chicken, drenched, dredged, and ready to cook. He's such a lovable little dork.
This photo is of Charlie out in the water. He is amazing! Carl threw a tennis ball out into the water and he took off like a shot. He dove in and didn't slow down a bit. He swims almost as fast as he runs. It doesn't matter how far you throw the ball, he swims out there and gets it, over and over and over again. Sometimes he rides a wave back in. A body surfing dog is awesome! I will try to catch some photos of that next time we go.
When Charlie isn't swimming to get the ball, he is trying to bury it in the sand. He digs and digs, throwing sand everywhere between his back legs. In his crazy frantic digging the ball gets flung out of the hole, causing him to go chasing after it. It's very fun to watch.
Aren't those clouds amazing? It is almost sunset so they have taken on a pink glow.
Life doesn't get any better than this.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Security
Since then several tools have been stolen from the back of Carl's truck while parked in our carport. One day last week, Ryker noticed a tool laying on the trash can, with the power cord stuck under something heavy in the back of the truck. This happened sometime between 6:30am and 11:00am in the middle of the week.
Chester is a great dog, and growing rapidly. He was 31 pounds last week, probably a few more by now. But.... he is not a guard dog. He is little, and cute and sleeps in a warm bed with Ryker all night. He might be a good guard dog one day, but in the meantime, all the good stuff is disappearing from our yard and Carl's truck.
So ..... we are now a 2 dog family. On Friday we were talking about solutions to this problem. Ryker started looking on Craigslist for dogs needing a new home. We found Kai(that name is under review. We are leaning towards Charlie or Clyde), an 18 month old lab/pit bull mix. He was living in a studio apartment in Waikiki and needed to find a new home. He is a great dog!
He loves Carl's truck! He has slept there the last few nights and is happy as can be. Right now he can roam around, but is sitting happily in the back of the truck.Last night I slept well. I feel very safe with him right out side the door. I don't think anything else will go missing, except maybe the arm of the next idiot that sticks his hand in the back of Carl's truck!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Chester is Cool (Techno Test Two)
Everyone has tried on these sunglasses, and Chester is no exception.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Stuff and Nonsense
I know my posts have been a little farther apart than usual. I think maybe I should let it go a few more weeks. I like the personal phone calls and emails.
I have been tired, and sick of being on the computer when I have had free time. I know, that sounds awfully strange coming from me, but it is true. My eyes have been bugging me when I am on my computer for too long, or staring at the tiny screen on my beloved iphone. The prognosis is, I need a new glasses. I have ordered a pair specifically for computer use. So, while I wait for them to show up, my old lady eyes are strained. You would think that in this modern age it wouldn't take weeks to get a pair of glasses. Apparently, when you live on an island, it still does. There is no such thing as glasses in an hour, or a day, or even a week.
My days have been full of the usual stuff and nonsense of life - work, kids, dishes, laundry, mowing the lawn, car trouble, cooking, cleaning, reading, and even a little TV watching. Here are a few of the highlights from the last couple weeks.
I started a new work project, which entailed installing new software on my over-tasked computer. I had to delete a ton of stuff to make room for it. I had the usual round of technical difficulties along with the accompanying frustrations. After all of that, learning to use the software was a piece of cake.
I love my puppy! There are very theraputic aspects to dog ownership. Frequent trips outside, warm puppy fur on my feet, and a sleeping puppy a curled up at my side make me smile. It has taken only a little while to get into a groove with a schedule of taking care of all his many doggie needs. We have been watching a lot of the Dog Whisperer. That guys is amazing!
Chester is doing well at house training, and sleeps all night in Ryker's room. The kids have been great at taking care of him, and cleaning up the yard. None of us really like to leave him home alone for long periods of time, so we have all been sticking pretty close to home. He can't go for walks, or other outside adventures for another month. He needs to have his final vaccinations. Apparently the parvo virus is a big issue here. He throws up sometimes on car rides. I would take him with me on errands, but I just don't like dealing with dog barf. It doesn't smell nice.
He is a border collie mix. According to the vet, the mix part is most likely an English pointer. He has webbed feet which indicates that he is part some sort of retriever. He wants to run, chase, herd and hunt. The yard is usually full of birds, and he is fascinated. At the moment he is entertaining himself with one of those plastic disposable cups, chasing it all over the house. Why buy dog toys?
I took a couple of continuing education real estate classes last week. I learned some interesting things, had a good lunch, and spent an entire day away from my computer. It was an odd day for sure.
My new primary class is huge! There are more than 10 kids most weeks, and if everyone were to come it would be closer to 20. I have been lobbying for a larger room. They are awesome! I love teaching them. They want to learn, and are very enthusiastic. We had sharing time yesterday and that was interesting.
So far this year I have read a few books. They are the sort that make you think. 13 Things that Don't Make Sense was especially enjoyable. If the smartest people in the world don't really know anything for certain, then I don't feel so bad about my own lack of knowledge.
I am hoping to get to the beach with the kids sometime soon. I can't wait until Chester can come along.
I have been tired, and sick of being on the computer when I have had free time. I know, that sounds awfully strange coming from me, but it is true. My eyes have been bugging me when I am on my computer for too long, or staring at the tiny screen on my beloved iphone. The prognosis is, I need a new glasses. I have ordered a pair specifically for computer use. So, while I wait for them to show up, my old lady eyes are strained. You would think that in this modern age it wouldn't take weeks to get a pair of glasses. Apparently, when you live on an island, it still does. There is no such thing as glasses in an hour, or a day, or even a week.
My days have been full of the usual stuff and nonsense of life - work, kids, dishes, laundry, mowing the lawn, car trouble, cooking, cleaning, reading, and even a little TV watching. Here are a few of the highlights from the last couple weeks.
I started a new work project, which entailed installing new software on my over-tasked computer. I had to delete a ton of stuff to make room for it. I had the usual round of technical difficulties along with the accompanying frustrations. After all of that, learning to use the software was a piece of cake.
I love my puppy! There are very theraputic aspects to dog ownership. Frequent trips outside, warm puppy fur on my feet, and a sleeping puppy a curled up at my side make me smile. It has taken only a little while to get into a groove with a schedule of taking care of all his many doggie needs. We have been watching a lot of the Dog Whisperer. That guys is amazing!
Chester is doing well at house training, and sleeps all night in Ryker's room. The kids have been great at taking care of him, and cleaning up the yard. None of us really like to leave him home alone for long periods of time, so we have all been sticking pretty close to home. He can't go for walks, or other outside adventures for another month. He needs to have his final vaccinations. Apparently the parvo virus is a big issue here. He throws up sometimes on car rides. I would take him with me on errands, but I just don't like dealing with dog barf. It doesn't smell nice.
He is a border collie mix. According to the vet, the mix part is most likely an English pointer. He has webbed feet which indicates that he is part some sort of retriever. He wants to run, chase, herd and hunt. The yard is usually full of birds, and he is fascinated. At the moment he is entertaining himself with one of those plastic disposable cups, chasing it all over the house. Why buy dog toys?I took a couple of continuing education real estate classes last week. I learned some interesting things, had a good lunch, and spent an entire day away from my computer. It was an odd day for sure.
My new primary class is huge! There are more than 10 kids most weeks, and if everyone were to come it would be closer to 20. I have been lobbying for a larger room. They are awesome! I love teaching them. They want to learn, and are very enthusiastic. We had sharing time yesterday and that was interesting.
So far this year I have read a few books. They are the sort that make you think. 13 Things that Don't Make Sense was especially enjoyable. If the smartest people in the world don't really know anything for certain, then I don't feel so bad about my own lack of knowledge.
I am hoping to get to the beach with the kids sometime soon. I can't wait until Chester can come along.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Chester
We have been talking about getting a dog for, well, forever! Today it finally happened! The stars were aligned, and thanks to some awesome friends, this little ball of fur came to live at our house.
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He is a Border Collie mix. I am not sure what the mix is, but he stands like a terrier, and listens intently to the sound of birds. His dark spots have some dark brown in them, but he is mostly white and black. He is about 9 weeks old, and we named him Chester.
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He loves the soccer ball!
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