Busy, Busy, Busy . . . well sort of.

Currently Reading: Children of the Mind By Orson Scott Card

I had one of those weird weekends where I seem to be both busy and yet not busy at the same time. Maybe it's due to the number of things that we did vs. the amount of time spent on them? I'm not sure. I do know that I spent a good deal of time shopping :-)

Saturday started off with a minor test. Bu, our little brown dog (mentioned in CC's blog) had another vet appointment. She's been battling ear infections lately and they're being persistant. It happens. Hell it happens to me too for that matter. Anyway, during her previous appointments she's been a bit of a grumpy dog. She's been growling at the staff, at the vet, even took a few snaps and bites. They ended up having to muzzle her (which is weird because she looks like some mini-Hanibal Lecter). Anyway, I told everyone that she never does that when I take her over so that must be the problem.

I know what you're thinking, bad idea to make such a bold prediction right? Well maybe, but I like to think I know these dogs pretty well and in this case I was right. Took her over at 9 or so, she was a little nervous, a little jumpy, but she never growled at anyone, even the other dogs. Ok, she did try a few times to visit with a large cat but that's more of a cat vs dog thing.

We take her into the exam room, get her up on the table. She squirms a bit, sure. Every time a doctor shoves a big q-tip in MY ear I squirm a bit too. Of course, knowing her history they muzzled her anyway but I am happy to report that she never growled, not once. She remained more or less calm the whole time (though she clearly wanted to get out of there as soon as possible). The trick is simply to keep her from getting scared. When she feels threatened, she bites. Simple as that. I made sure she could always see me, always feel me petting her. I even went nose to nose with her and she gave me a little dog kiss (as much as she could through the muzzle).

Trip to the pet store where she was just as well-behaved as she should be (better than usual actually) then to Starbucks for some coffee for CC, chai tea latte for me, hot chocolate for mom. Home to drop off the dog and then right back out again for food shopping. See? Pretty busy right?

Well after that it sort of slows down. Spent the rest of the day reading because CC's working on a HUGE major project for the office and has to work on it all weekend. Poor thing doesn't get enough sleep when she works like this. I have to almost force her to sleep and she complains about it a little but you know, she isn't productive when she's sleepy (who is?) and her work is much better when she's rested so I make her rest.

Today, similar thing. Got up, had one HELL of a huge breakfast. Went to the INTERNATIONAL House of Pancakes (is there just a national one or a local one?) and had one of the egg and pancake combo breakfasts. Then we went over to check out this Asian/Latino farmers market that opened up. Ok, it's CALLED a farmers market but what it really is is a multi-ethnic grocery store specializing in Asian and Hispanic foods. Great place. Big. Very big and a great selection. CC's thrilled because now we'll be able to make all sorts of filipino dishes. I like it too because they have a great selection of foods from all over Asia. Of course, I could have done without seeing the sheep's heads for sale. Yes, you read that right, a sheep's head. Two of them actually, along with other various animal parts.

Home again after that and CC went back to work and I went back to reading. Quiet afternoon after a busy morning.

What I hope will happen this week is that CC will be able to finish the project she's currently working on. Wait, let me modify that. Since the project MUST be done this week, it's going to be finished one way or another. What I REALLY hope then is that she gets the project finished without completely losing her mind. I'll do the best I can to keep her going of course but there's only so much I can do. She's got a lot of work on her plate and there are only so many hours in the day. Let's all keep our fingers crossed for her and if you happen to be religious, a little prayer for her wouldn't hurt either.

The Return of the Gym

Currently Reading: Xenocide By Orson Scott Card

No, that's not the title of some missing Star Wars film, that's what happened yesterday. The gym has officially returned and it is fully functional. Feel free to drop off clothes that don't fit in your closet because, like most home gyms, it's only a matter of time before ours becomes a clothes rack.

Actually I shouldn't be too harsh. That gym equipment will receive plenty of purposful work so long as CC and I are here. The problem is, it wasn't purchased for US.

True to form, after waiting months for the treadmill to be repaired, yesterday, finally working again, no one used it. I asked my mother about that. She'd been using it as an excuse NOT to work out as often. Treadmill doesn't work. She likes to walk. Well now it works. What did she say yesterday? "Well no, I'm not going to use it NOW. I don't work out until AFTER dinner."

Fair enough. After dinner. Not the best time to get your exercise but I suppose better than never right? There's only one problem with that. After dinner she's tired and usually falls asleep early.

So, why am I being so harsh about it? Oh that part's simple. It's because I will now begin to hear even MORE often how I never get any exercise. There's a whole room filled with gym equipment, I should use it more often. Mmhmm, well, you know, my closet IS a little crowded these days :-)

CC's Birthday . . . The Rest of the Story

Currently Reading: Nothing, but I'll be starting a new book tonight . . .

I just finished rereading CC's account of her birthday on Saturday. My sister and her family came over and we had a small party. CC was in Omaha on her actual birthday so this was the first chance we really had to celebrate.

She does a good job telling what happened but her version is quite a bit more sedate than how I remember it.

Let's start with that Painted Pony she got from Judy. That part she got right. Her jaw dropped, almost to the floor. It really is a lovely piece. She's got a picture of it in her blog.

Then there's the day spa. This one took her completely by surprise. She opens up the little bag the card came in, doesn't quite know what it is. Looks at it a little closer. Realizes it's a day spa, opens the card, reads it and then If you saw The Incredibles you may remember the short that plays before it called Bound. It's the one where the Jackalope teaches the ram that having his fur shaved out isn't that big of a deal. They "bound" all over the place as a way of dealing with it. Now, take that image of the ram jumping up and down, maybe doing a little dance, and you've got CC's reaction to the day spa gift certificate.

And finally, the Payless card. That's for the Payless Shoe Store in case you didn't know. CC has developed a great love of shoes over the past few years and so she shops for them regularly. Sometimes we go to the bigger stores, sometimes smaller. Sometimes cheap shoes, sometimes more expensive ones. There's some sort of logic to all this, a hidden pattern, but I haven't quite worked it all out yet. Anyway, she pulls out this card, sees what it is and . . . well, do you remember back during football season, all the dances that the players would make when they scored a touchdown or got in a REALLY good tackle? That's about what CC did. She did an endzone celebratory dance.

And now you know the rest of the story :-)

Slow Time

Currently Reading: Nothing, but I'll start a new book tonight . . .

Ever have one of those days were there just doesn't seem to be enough to do to make time go by fast enough? It's the polar opposite of those days where time just ZIPS on by and you're at the end of the day before you know it.

CC and I both started out moving faster than time. She was a little late getting started this morning and yet we still managed to get her to the office on time without any rushing.

After I got home, I started work on my to-do list and before I knew it, I was most of the way done and only an hour had gone by. Here's the thing though, I KNOW it takes more than an hour to do all the things I did this morning, or at least it normally does. So I figure it's one of two things. Either I'm MUCH more efficient this morning (yeah right) or I'm moving faster than time.

Guess that makes me a mutant. Hmm, maybe I could join the X-Men :-)

WOO HOO!

She's coming home tonight! She's coming home tonight! WOO HOO!