{Not} Living Vicariously

Curses – foiled again!

Once again our computer has decided to work against me instead of with me. We came back from vacation to a power relay having gone out. Don’t ask me what that means. All I know is there is power coming out of the wall and not going in to the computer. So a technician will need to replace some thingamabob in order for me to use my home computer. Yes, that would be the second time in two months a technician has had to visit to fix something on the computer. At least we are still under warranty?

 

This update has been brought to you by the “on it’s last legs” laptop that still connects to the internet when it wants to. Hope to be back with you soon in the blogosphere . . .

Tree skirt!

We just received one of our wedding gifts, a handmade tree skirt from my maid of honor. She does beautiful work and I knew it was coming. I just didn't know what it would look like. I love it. The colors are perfect, she knows me so well. Not only did I love it . . . the cat loved it also. As soon as the box was open, and we walked away, Stoli started investigating. Then she jumped right in with the tree skirt and took a little nap. She still tries to nap on it whenever possible. Luckily I'm used to a little fur on all my belongings.

She also loves the box it came in. Of course. I don't know what it is about cats and boxes, but boy do they love them! I have brought several home in various sizes from work in preparation of wrapping and mailing gifts. She has checked every single one out and frequently moves from one to another for a progressive nap. Silly cat.

Willy on Tryptophan

I have a new nephew . . . of the four legged canine variety. My brother is the proud new father to the adorable Willy. He was invited to Thanksgiving dinner at the home of a local community volunteer he knew through his job at the Scio Senior Center. His buddy Travis and the dog were also invited and Willy enjoyed it all from meeting Mollie the Moluccan Cockatoo through sitting on Liz' lap to his after Turkey Dinner nap. Yes, the tryptophan struck hard. Well, either that or the poor puppy was exhausted from all his adventures.

Isn't he just precious??? I hope to meet him soon. 

Flat tire!

I'm out last night at a holiday event for the women in our church. It was great fun, as always, and I'm headed home when I hear an odd fwap fwap fwap sound over the podcast I'm listening to. I turn it off and the noise is still there. I'm a bit concerned as I'm driving 55 down Highway 96, a two lane road with no real shoulders, in the pitch black. Luckily there is a gas station coming up on my left and I pull in. Yup. I have a flat tire. Not just a low tire. A completely flat tire. So I call the darling frog prince . . . who has not yet had dinner and is tired and cranky. But he promises to come out and meet me. So I wait.

Talk about good samaritans. Not one but two gentlemen stop to make sure I have help on the way. I really appreciated them as it was cold out last night! F.P. arrived a few minutes later and he changed my tire then followed me home. This morning I had the fun of getting to the tire dealer bright and early, they changed the tire in under 30 minutes (yes, I'd ruined the old one's sidewalls by driving too long on it, but what could I do in those circumstances?) and I was on my way to work. Hardly late at all.

Not my ideal way to start the day, but hey, I'm happy it was no worse.

Holiday Insanity

We are in my favorite time of year . . . I love the holiday season. I start gearing up around Halloween, swoop through Thanksgiving, and dive deep into Christmas. I was smart. I went and had a massage tonight before the social calendar gets overwhelmed. The first week of December wasn't so bad. I only had one work dinner and my annual cookie exchange (check out Two Happy Bellies in the next few days to hear about the goodies we made). However, tomorrow night is F.P.'s work party, then Wednesday night we have the Brian Setzer Orchestra seasonal concert, after that is Thursday night at the symphony for Home for the Holidays. Friday is scheduled to be quiet, then I have three separate events on Saturday, two on Sunday, and so on and so forth. Good thing we have friends and neighbors willing to check on the fur babies when we get going. That way they don't get lonely!

Have a happy holiday season -- whatever your desires may be: crazy busy like me or slow and steady as you prefer. Love to all and a good night!

Hard headed dog!

Last week I was leaning over to pick up my tennis shoes in preparation for heading out on a walk when the dog realized what was going on and came running at full tilt. She bonked me on the jaw (which still hurts by the way) but didn't react at all. Then a few days later, she was chasing her tennis ball. She knows how to bounce it by herself on the hardwood floors, then chase after it, so she can play by herself. Well she was doing so when it went under the bed. Having no traction on those hardwood floors, she skidded and bumped that head on the bed so hard she shook the house. And yet, no reaction again. She must have an extremely hard head . . . in addition to being stubborn.

Mercy Killing

Sunday night the dog was peacefully eating her dinner when we heard a strange sound and she went skittering into the living room. She only does that when the cat attacks so I knew something was up. Well the cat had attacked . . . attached a mouse. Somehow our wonderful cat, with no claws, managed to catch a mouse and was proudly prancing through the kitchen with her new toy. Unfortunately, the cat does not have the killer instinct (or the tools) to finish the job. So after playing with the mouse for a few minutes, while we figured out what to do next, we removed the mouse to the outdoors and had a mercy killing. Stoli then spent the next 30 minutes trying to figure out where the new toy had gone.

And yes Becky, we praised her repeatedly for her good job in being the mighty huntress.

Geofun

While we were in Alabama on Saturday, we did manage to hit three geocaches (one technically in Mississippi). We used our new toy and I am absolutely thrilled Checkm 5 gave us this stamp. Our find in Mississippi was actually discovered with one of the Checkm 5 team and he signed the log for both of us. We have now cached in six states . . . only 44 more to go!

A celebration of life

We had to change our original plans for Thanksgiving weekend to attend a funeral. I had only met the gentleman once, the week before our wedding. However he was a gentleman worth knowing. Full of love for everyone he ever met, people from all over converged on the tiny town of Allsboro, AL to celebrate his life. Standing room only in the church, we laughed and cried along wiht others and left after it was done feeling at peace.

Papaw - I didn't know you but I thank you for the love you gave my husband even though he wasn't one of your grandsons. Mamaw - I look forward to seeing you again at many a family gathering.